Tsigan
/ˈtsɪɡən/noun
A dated or literary term for a Romani person, derived through Russian and related European forms.
Did you know?The proposed source is Byzantine Greek Athinganoi, a name associated with a religious group accused of avoiding contact with outsiders, but the connection to the Romani is disputed rather than proven.
Etymological Timeline
Byzantine period
Greek
Athinganoi
“The name of a religious group; traditionally connected with the Greek idea of being “untouchable,” though its relationship to the Romani remains uncertain.”
Medieval period
Greek
Atsinganoi
“A later form associated in Byzantine usage with the group-name from which several European terms may have developed.”
16th–18th Century
Russian
Tsygan
“A Romani person; the form that influenced related Slavic and European spellings.”
19th Century
English
Tsigan
“A literary or variant English term for a Romani person.”
Modern English
English
tsigan
“A rare, dated term, generally avoided in favor of Romani or Roma.”