tzigane

English

Etymology

From the Hungarian cigány via French tzigane, from Byzantine Greek ἀθίγγανος (athínganos, “untouchable”).

Cognate to Italian zigano, zingano and zingaro, Spanish cíngaro, German Zigeuner, Dutch zigeuner, Afrikaans sigeuner, Portuguese cigano, Romanian țigan, Polish Cygan, Czech Cikán, Russian цыган (cygan), Turkish Çingene. Doublet of zingaro.

The other major categories of words for the Roma are cognates of Rom (words related to the Romani people's autonyms) and cognates of Gypsy (words related to Egypt); see those entries for more information.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tsɪˈɡɑːn/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːn

Noun

tzigane (plural tziganes)

1. (sometimes offensive) A Hungarian Gypsy (Romani person).

Usage notes

Like Gypsy (Gipsy), this term may be considered offensive by Romani people. At the same time, it may not be understood or meant as offensive by non-Romani people. See the usage notes at Gypsy and zigeuner (Zigeuner).

Hypernyms

• gipsy
• Gipsy
• gypsy
• Gypsy
• zigeuner
• Zigeuner
• zingaro

 

Anagrams

• teazing

French

Alternative forms

• Tsigane, tsigane, Tzigane

Etymology

From Hungarian cigány.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tsi.ɡan/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

tzigane m or f by sense (plural tziganes)

1. (sometimes offensive) Gypsy

Usage notes

This term may be considered offensive by Romani people. At the same time, it may not be understood or meant as offensive by non-Romani people.

Adjective

tzigane (plural tziganes)

1. (relational, sometimes offensive) Gypsy

Proper noun

tzigane m

1. (sometimes offensive) Romani (language)

See also

• zigueune, Zigueune (from German)

Further reading

• “tzigane”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• gantiez

Italian

Adjective

tzigane

1. feminine plural of tzigano

Anagrams

• zigante