țigan

Borrowed from a South Slavic (a)ciganinŭ (cf. Church Slavonic циганинъ (ciganinŭ)), from early modern Greek τσιγγάνος (tsingános) or ατσίγγανος (atsínganos), variant of Byzantine Greek ἀθίγγανος (athínganos, “untouchable”)^[1][2][3](a compound of privative ἀ- (a-) + θιγγάνω (thingánō, “to touch”)), used also as the name of a Christian sect.^[4] Compare Russian цыган (cygan), Hungarian cigány and German Zigeuner, which are from the same Greek source (as well as Italian zingaro, French tzigane, ultimately).

• IPA^(key): /t͡siˈɡan/

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țigan m (plural țigani, feminine equivalent țigancă)

1. (now sometimes, offensive) Gypsy

The term țigani, an imprecise exonym for several groups, is loaded with negative connotations: historically, it implied the status of a slave ( Chattel Slavery in Romania); today, the Dictionary of Romanian Language defines a fi țigan (literally “to be Gypsy”) as "to be a dark-skinned person" or "to be a person with bad habits".^[5][6] Careful speakers therefore refer to the Roma people by their self-designation, romi, or (to prevent confusion with the word român (“Romanian”)) its alternative spelling rromi. However, many Roma people in Romania use the term țigan when referring to themselves.

țigan m or n (feminine singular țigană, masculine plural țigani, feminine and neuter plural țigane)

1. (sometimes offensive, ethnonym) Gypsy