gypsy

Meaning

Noun

1. (alt-of, alternative, offensive, sometimes) Alternative form of Gypsy (“member of the Romani people”).
2. (colloquial) An itinerant person or any person, not necessarily Romani; a tinker, a traveller or a carny.
3. (offensive, sometimes) A move in contra dancing in which two dancers walk in a circle around each other while maintaining eye contact (but not touching as in a swing). (Compare whole gyp, half gyp, and gypsy meltdown, in which this step precedes a swing.)
4. A member of a Broadway musical chorus line.
5. (dated) A person with a dark complexion.
6. (dated) A sly, roguish woman.
7. (colloquial, dated) A fortune teller.

Adj

1. (alt-of, alternative, not-comparable) Alternative form of Gypsy: of or belonging to the Romani people.
2. (not-comparable) Itinerant; of or having the qualities of an itinerant person or group.
3. (not-comparable, 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.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To roam around the country like a gypsy.
2. To perform the gypsy step in contra dancing.

Synonyms

gipsy

Gypsy

Roma

Romany

Sinti

itinerant

vagabond

vagrant

chicken of the woods

Gitano

Gypsy mushroom

Rom

nomadic

rover

satellite

📡

tzigane

Translations

zingaro

gitano

tsigane

Zigeuner

cigano

zigeuner

tzigane

gitano

gitan

τσιγγάνος

bohémien

غجري

cigana

çingene

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈd͡ʒɪp.si/

Etymology

See Gypsy. Compare bohemian, from Bohemia.