English Lexicon

Gypsy

/ˈdʒɪp.si/
nounadjectiveCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #4500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A member of the Romani people, a traditionally itinerant ethnic group of South Asian origin living worldwide.

    "The history of the Romani people is rich with vibrant music, storytelling, and cultural resilience."
  2. 2

    A person who leads an itinerant or nomadic lifestyle, moving frequently from place to place.

    "She embraced life as a modern gypsy, traveling the world with only a backpack."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from Middle English 'gipsan', a short form of 'Egipcian' (Egyptian), based on the erroneous historical belief that Romani people originated in Egypt. The Italian form 'zingaro' stems from Byzantine Greek 'atsinganoi', referring to a medieval heretical group associated with fortune-tellers and itinerant musicians.

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