Çift

Çift is a Turkish word with several related meanings. As a noun, it denotes a pair or set of two items that function as a unit, such as two horses or two wheels. As an adjective, it means double or twofold and is common in compounds like çifte katlı (two-storey) and çift taraflı (double-sided). In arithmetic, çifte sayı refers to an even number, the counterpart to tek sayı (odd number).

The verb form çifleşmek means to mate or to pair, and çifleşme refers to the act of pairing or reproduction. In agriculture and everyday language, the component çift appears in related terms such as çiftlik (farm or estate) and çiftçi (farmer), reflecting historical associations with land and work done by paired animals.

Origin and usage: Çift is of Turkish origin and appears in many Turkic languages with a core sense of two, pair, or double. In modern Turkish it remains productive in a wide range of compounds and idioms, including çifte standart, meaning double standard.

See also: çifte standart, çifte sayı, tek sayı, çiftleşmek.