Meaning and Origin
What does the name Gypsy mean? Keep reading to find the user submitted meanings, dictionary definitions, and more.
User Submitted Origins
User Submitted Meanings
- According to a user from Ohio, U.S., the name Gypsy means "One with incredible strength and love, and has the truest of hearts".
- A submission from Canada says the name Gypsy means "Keep moving" and is of English origin.
- According to a user from Australia, the name Gypsy means "Likes people".
- One of a vagabond race, whose tribes, coming originally from India, entered Europe in the 14th or 15th century, and are now scattered over Turkey, Russia, Hungary, Spain, England, etc., living by theft, fortune telling, horsejockeying, tinkering, etc. Cf. Bohemian Romany."Like a right gypsy, hath, at fast and loose, Beguiled me to the very heart of loss." [Shak.]
- The language used by the gypsies.
- A dark-complexioned person.
- A cunning or crafty person.(Colloq)
Etymology: OE. Gypcyan, F. égyptien Egyptian, gypsy, L. Aegyptius. See Egyptian
- The Indic language of the Gypsies
- A person who resembles a Gypsy in leading an unconventional, nomadic way of life
- A member of a people with dark skin and hair who speak Romany and who traditionally live by seasonal work and fortunetelling; they are believed to have originated in northern India but now are living on all continents (but mostly in Europe, North Africa, and North America)
- A laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment
From Middle English Gipcyan, Gypcyan (Gyptian), from Old French gyptien. Short for Egyptian, from Latin aegyptius, because when Roma first appeared in England in the sixteenth century they were wrongly believed to have come from Egypt. The Albanian term Evgit, Greek γύφτος (gýftos), Italian gitano and Spanish gitano have the same origin.
The other major categories of words for the Roma are cognates of Rom (words related to the Romani people's autonyms) and cognates of tzigane (words derived from Greek); see those entries for more information.
- (rare, sometimes offensive) The language .
- A female given name.
- (sometimes offensive) A member of the Romani people, or one of the sub-groups (Roma, Sinti, Romanichal, etc).
- A member of other nomadic peoples, not only of the Romani people; a traveller. Alternative spelling of gypsy