A Gypsy is a member of a race of people who travel from place to place, usually in caravans, rather than living in one place. Some Gypsies object to this name, and prefer to be called Romany.
Gypsy is also an adjective.
...the largest Gypsy community of any country.
Gypsy in British English
or Gipsy (ˈdʒɪpsɪ) sometimes offensive
nounWord forms: plural-sies
1.
a.
any member of a nomadic people, esp a Roma or an Irish Traveller
b.
(as modifier)
Gypsy music
2.
the language of the Roma; Romany
3. (sometimes not capital)
(loosely) any person who has an itinerant lifestyle
Derived forms
Gypsydom (ˈGypsydom) or Gipsydom (ˈGipsydom)
noun
Gypsyhood (ˈGypsyˌhood) or Gipsyhood (ˈGipsyˌhood)
noun
Gypsyish (ˈGypsyish) or Gipsyish (ˈGipsyish)
adjective
Gypsy-like (ˈGypsy-ˌlike) or Gipsy-like (ˈGipsy-ˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
C16: from Egyptian, since the Roma were thought to have come originally from Egypt
Gypsy in American English
(ˈdʒɪpsi)
nounWord forms: pluralˈGypsies
1. [alsog-]
a member of a nomadic Caucasoid people with dark skin and black hair, found throughout the world and believed to have originated in India: they are conventionally known as metalworkers, musicians, fortunetellers, etc.
2.
Romany (sense 2)
3. [g-]
a person whose appearance or habits are like those of a Gypsy
4. [g-]
a dancer in the chorus of a musical show
adjective
5. [alsog-]
of, like, or characteristic of the Gypsies or their language or culture
6. [g-]; Informal
unlicensed or nonunion
a gypsy plumber
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈgypsied or ˈgypsying
7. [g-]; Rare
to wander or live like a Gypsy
Word origin
earlier gypcien, short for Egipcien, Egyptian: orig. thought to have come from Egypt
Synonyms of 'Gypsy'
traveller, roamer, wanderer, Bohemian
More Synonyms of Gypsy
In other languages
Gypsy
British English: gypsy /ˈdʒɪpsɪ/ NOUN
A gypsy is a member of a race of people who travel from place to place in caravans, rather than living in one place.
I was brought up by gypsies.
American English: gypsy
Arabic: غَجَرِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: cigano
Chinese: 吉普赛人
Croatian: Rom
Czech: cikán
Danish: sigøjner
Dutch: zigeuner
European Spanish: gitano
Finnish: mustalainen
French: gitan
German: Zigeuner
Greek: τσιγγάνος
Italian: zingaro
Japanese: ジプシー
Korean: 집시
Norwegian: rom
Polish: Cygan
European Portuguese: cigano
Romanian: țigan
Russian: цыган
Latin American Spanish: gitano
Swedish: zigenare
Thai: ชาวยิปซี
Turkish: çingene
Ukrainian: циган
Vietnamese: dân gypsy
All related terms of 'Gypsy'
gypsy cab
a taxi licensed only to answer calls, esp one that picks up passengers in the street illegally
gypsy moth
a European moth ( Lymantria dispar ), brownish ( males ) or whitish (females), now common in the E U.S.: its larvae feed on leaves, doing much damage to forest and shade trees
gypsy driver
the driver of a gypsy cab
gipsy cab
a taxi licensed only to answer calls, esp one that picks up passengers in the street illegally
gipsy driver
the driver of a gypsy cab
gyppo
any member of a nomadic people, esp a Roma or an Irish Traveller
(noun)
Definition
a member of a travelling people scattered throughout Europe and North America
the largest community of Gypsies of any country
Synonyms
traveller
The whole idea of being a traveller is being self-sufficient.
roamer
wanderer
Her father, a restless wanderer, abandoned the family.