tsotsi

/ ˈtsɔː-, ˈtsɒtsɪ /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tsotsi¹

C20: perhaps from Nguni tsotsa to dress flashily

Example Sentences

Chweneyagae, who was born in 1984 in South Africa's North-West Province, got his big international break after starring in the 2005 film Tsotsi, which earned the country its first Oscar for best foreign language film.

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Tsotsi, a powerful crime film in which Chweneyagae plays the lead role, explores gang life in a South Africa.

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Speaking to the BBC, South African film critic Stephen Aspeling said Tsotsi was a "landmark film" which came at a "critical juncture for South Africa's film industry but also for South Africa on the international platform".

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His novel, Tsotsi, was made into a film, winning the 2006 Oscar for best foreign language movie.

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South Africa would win the Oscar the following year for Gavin Hood’s “Tsotsi.”

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