Zigeuner

Meaning

1. (masculine,offensive,sometimes,strong) Gypsy, member of the Roma, Romani person
2. (masculine,offensive,sometimes,strong) member of any of several other nomadic minorities
3. (masculine,offensive,strong) disorderly, lazy or dodgy person
4. (masculine,offensive,strong) bohemian; unconventional or nonconformist artist or writer

Concepts

gypsy

Gypsy

gipsy

tzigane

The Gypsy

chicken of the woods

Gitano

Gypsy mushroom

Rom

gypsies

Synonyms

Zigeunerin

Roma

Sinti

Rom

Strolch

Stromer

Treber

Vagabund

Sandler

Clochard

Herumtreiber

Tramp

Berber

Romanes

Stadtstreicher

Streuner

Reifpilz

Wohnsitzloser

Runzelschüppling

Zigeunerpilz

Tippelbruder

Nichtsesshafter

Landfahrer

Fecker

Pennbruder

Heckenpenner

Strotter

Trebegänger

Wohnungsloser

Sinto

Romani

Romni

Landstreicher

Obdachloser

Penner

Dialects

Basel-Landschaft

zigyyner

Data provided by: Deutsch-Schweizerdeutsches Wörterbuch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/t͡siˈɡɔɪ̯nɐ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German: Cigäwnär

Cognate with Hungarian: cigány

Cognate with English: tzigane

Cognate with Portuguese: cigano

Cognate with French: tzigane

Cognate with Romanian: țigan

Cognate with Russian: цыга́н

In summary

Middle High German Cigäwnär (mentioning, 1420s), compare Zeginer and Ziginer (15th century).
Most likely from a Byzantine Greek term meaning "untouchable"; compare the Modern Greek designations Τσιγγάνοι (Tsingánoi), Αθίγγανοι (Athínganoi). Cognate to Hungarian cigány and terms borrowed from it such as English tzigane, Portuguese cigano, French tzigane, Romanian țigan, and Russian цыга́н (cygán); see those entries for other cognates and for more information.
The extended senses derive from racist and/or Romantic stereotypes of the Roma.

Sentences

Zigeuner ist nicht mehr der politisch korrekte Ausdruck .

Gypsy is no longer the politically correct expression.