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gypsy

Syllabification: (gyp·sy)
Pronunciation: /ˈjipsē/
(also gipsy)
Translate gypsy | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of gypsy

noun (plural gypsies)

  • 1 (usually Gypsy) a member of a traveling people with dark skin and hair who speak Romany and traditionally live by seasonal work, itinerant trade, and fortune-telling. Gypsies are now found mostly in Europe, parts of North Africa, and North America, but are believed to have originated in South Asia.
  • the language of the gypsies; Romany.
  • 2a nomadic or free-spirited person.

adjective

  • (of a business or business person) nonunion or unlicensed:gypsy trucking firms

Derivatives

gypsyish

adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century: originally gipcyan, short for Egyptian (because Gypsies were popularly supposed to have come from Egypt)

Spelling help

Gypsy can also be spelled gipsy, with an i: both are correct.

gypsy in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of gypsy in the British & World English dictionary
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