Tzigane
Americanadjective
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of Tzigane
First recorded in 1880–85; from French tzigane, probably from Hungarian cigány, akin to German Zigeuner, Romanian ţigan, Serbo-Croatian cȉganin, Bulgarian tsíganin, all ultimately from Medieval Greek (a)tsínganos, earlier athínganos member of a heretical sect of Phrygia, perhaps literally, “untouchable, inviolable” ( Greek a- “not, without” + -thinganos, derivative of thingánein “to touch”); cf. zingaro
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.
Tzigane, a word that refers to Romani people, is now considered derogatory.
From New York Times ● Apr. 25, 2024
Listen to Frances Andrade play Ravel's Tzigane Link to this audio In 1988 she met Levine Andrade, a Mumbai-born violinist and viola player, at a concert at St John's Smith Square in London.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 8, 2013
Unquestionably, the star of the Homage was Suzanne Farrell, who was the focus of three ballets: Robbins' Concerto, Jacques d'Amboise's Alborada del Gracioso and Balanchine's Tzigane.
From Time Magazine Archive
Her eyes sparkled and she talked with him for some time in the Tzigane tongue.
From Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies The Missing Pearl Necklace by Alice B. Emerson
He now spoke in English, but later he relapsed into the Tzigane tongue.
From Ruth Fielding and the Gypsies The Missing Pearl Necklace by Alice B. Emerson
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