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tsotsi

British  
/ ˈtsɔː-, ˈtsɒtsɪ /

noun

  1. a Black street thug or gang member; wide boy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tsotsi

C20: perhaps from Nguni tsotsa to dress flashily

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.

Presently, the big tsotsi returned with a carton and a spoon.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

“I can get you caldo verde. Real Portuguese soup,” said the smaller tsotsi.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

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.