chit
n.
1
"note," 1776, short for chitty, from Mahrati (Hindi) chitthi "letter, note," from Sanskrit chitra-s "distinctively marked" (see cheetah).
2
"small child," 1620s, originally "young of a beast" (late 14c.); unrelated to chit, n.1; perhaps a playful deformation of kitten, but the "Middle English Dictionary" compares Old High German kizzin "kid."