gypsy

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See also Gypsy

Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative forms

[edit] Etymology

See Gypsy. Generic usage to refer to any itinerant person or person suspected of dishonest practices derives from traditional racist stereotypes of the Romani people.

Compare bohemian, from Bohemia.

[edit] Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɪp.si/
  • Audio (US)
    		(file)

[edit] Noun

gypsy (plural gypsies)

  1. Alternative form of Gypsy: a member of the Romani people.
  2. (offensive) An itinerant person or any person suspected of making a living from dishonest practices or theft; a member of a nomadic people, not necessarily Romani; a carny.
    • Shakespeare:
      Like a right gypsy, hath, at fast and loose, Beguiled me to the very heart of loss.
    • Borat:
      I will look on your treasures, gypsy. Is this understood?

[edit] Usage notes

Because Gypsy is an exonym (external name), based on the mistaken belief that the Romani people came from Egypt and loaded with negative connotations,[1][2] and because generic use of the term gypsy derives from racist stereotypes of the Romani, gypsy is considered offensive by many Romani. However, its offensiveness may not be understood by non-Romani – thus while it may cause offense, it is often not intended to cause offense.

See also the usage note about Gypsy.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

Translations

[edit] Adjective

gypsy (not comparable)

  1. Alternative form of Gypsy: of or belonging to the Romani people or one of it sub-groups (Roma, Sinti, Romanichel, etc).
  2. (offensive) Of or having the qualities of an itinerant person or group with qualities traditionally ascribed to Romani people; making a living from dishonest practices or theft etc.
    If anyone questions them, they'll fold up faster than a gypsy roofing company.

[edit] Usage notes

See the notes about the noun, above.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ 1994, Jean-Pierre Liégeois, Roma, Gypsies, Travellers
  2. ^ 1999, Arthur Kean Spears, Race and ideology: language, symbolism, and popular culture
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