gangsta

[ gang-stuh ]

noun
  1. a member of an urban street gang: He was a true gangsta, and he fought like a soldier for his turf.

adjective
  1. of or characteristic of urban street gangs, their members, or gangsta rap: There was no hiding his prison record or his gangsta tattoos from potential employers.

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Origin of gangsta

1
First recorded in 1985–90; representing the typically r-less African American Vernacular English pronunciation of gangster

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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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