tsotsi

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English

Etymology

Uncertain. Compare Shona tsotsi (“criminal”)

Pronunciation

Noun

tsotsi (plural tsotsis)

  1. (South Africa) A hoodlum or street thug, especially one from the townships; a township skollie.
    • 1979, André Brink, A Dry White Season, Vintage, published 1998, page 39:
      A gang of tsotsis – hooligans – attacked a group of older men, and when the owner tried to throw them out they ran amok in the place, smashing everything in their way.
    • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 88:
      Gangsters – known as tsotsis – carrying flick-knives or switchblades were plentiful and prominent [...].
    • 2006 March 17, Cape Times:
      Mandela, standing up for all the tsotsis out there, said: "Don't dismiss any youngsters who are not behaving according to your wishes."

Derived terms

Anagrams

Shona

Noun

tsótsi class 5 (plural matsótsi class 6)

  1. criminal, thug, gangster, hooligan, hoodlum
    Synonym: horomori

Tlahuica

Noun

tsotsi

  1. bat

References

  • Elpidia Reynoso González, Vocabulario Español-Tlahuica (1998)
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