gypsy
noun
Roma.
gypsy
American
[jip-see]
/ ˈdʒɪp si /
especially British,
Gipsy
noun
-
gypsies
plural
-
(initial capital letter) Roma.
-
(initial capital letter) (not in technical use) the Indic language of the Roma; Romani.
-
a person held to resemble a Roma, especially in physical characteristics or in a traditionally ascribed freedom or inclination to move from place to place.
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Informal. gypsy cab.
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Informal. an independent, usually nonunion trucker, hauler, operator, etc.
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Slang. a chorus dancer, especially in the Broadway theater.
-
(in horse racing) gyp.
adjective
-
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Roma; Romani.
-
Informal. working independently or without a license.
gypsy truckers.
Gypsy
British
/ ˈdʒɪpsɪ /
noun
-
-
a member of a people scattered throughout Europe and North America, who maintain a nomadic way of life in industrialized societies. They migrated from NW India from about the 9th century onwards
-
( as modifier )
a Gypsy fortune-teller
-
-
the language of the Gypsies; Romany
-
a person who looks or behaves like a Gypsy
Sensitive Note
The Roma have commonly been called Gypsies . However, Gypsy is a word that has also been used as a disparaging slur for this ethnic group, and many Romani people find it offensive. The collective members of this tribe are best referred to with the plural noun Roma . To refer to an individual, Rom and Romani are the preferred singular forms.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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Gypsydomnoun
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Gypsyhoodnoun
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gypsydomnoun
-
gypsyhoodnoun
-
gypsyismnoun
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non-Gypsynoun
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Gypsy-likeadjective
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Gypsyishadjective
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gypseianadjective
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gypsyesqueadjective
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gypsyishadjective
-
gypsylikeadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of gypsy
First recorded in 1505–15; back formation of gipcyan, variant of Egyptian (showing a loss of the unstressed initial syllable), from the mistaken belief that Gypsies came originally from Egypt
Vocabulary lists containing gypsy
Scrabble: Words with no Vowels
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Stanley Silverman’s “Elephant Steps,” which MTT recorded in 1974, was for pop singers, opera singers, orchestra, rock band, electronic tape, raga group, gypsy ensemble and, of course, elephants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
"All he wanted was to be home with me and his pet kitty, Charley, playing his gypsy guitar."
From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2023
In 2022, for instance, the Entomological Society of America adopted spongy moth for the invasive moth Lymantria dispar, getting rid of gypsy moth.
From Science Magazine ● Sep. 5, 2023
And I’d say, “Well, when you were listening to this, I was listening to a Hungarian gypsy musician named Gábor Szabó.”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
The Agriculture Department itself has credited these importations with appreciably reducing the frequency and destructiveness of gypsy moth outbreaks.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
In a report from February, council officials said there was a "shortfall" in the supply of "suitable and deliverable Gypsy and traveller sites" in Basildon.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
This is where teenagers from Gypsy, traveller and Roma communities get together every week.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
"That takes about eight to 10 minutes per portion, the time that the gas has to be on continuously," said Aditi Limaye Kamat, whose family owns Gypsy and several other eateries.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
In Pennsylvania, Christie recorded and released a single, “The Gypsy Cried,” that became a local hit in the Pittsburgh area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2025
I, Misha Pilsudski, was born a Gypsy somewhere in the land of Russia.
From "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli
Heidegger’s noble guests cavorted as milkmaids, chimney sweeps, gypsies, “Indian kings” and even a “nude” Adam wearing a body stocking and fig leaves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
In 1983, he wrote and directed “Angelo, My Love,” a drama inspired by and starring gypsies Duvall came to know in New York City.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
Looking on were the usual suspects of Rio’s Carnival scene: revelers dressed as folkloric characters, jaguars, gypsies and ‘bate-bolas’ – exuberant clowns in identical, elaborate outfits who travel in packs.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024
"One of the big stereotypes is that all gypsies and travellers live in caravans and don't pay taxes. It's untrue," Emma says.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2019
Ben had been a ballplayer for a long time and he knew other ballplayers the way a gypsy knows other gypsies or a thief other thieves.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
