Tzigane
/ˈtsɪɡ.ən/noun
A historical English term for a Romani person, or relating to the Romani people, now often considered outdated or potentially offensive.
Did you know?Tzigane entered European languages through forms such as French tzigane and German Zigeuner, while the proposed ultimate source, Greek athinganoi, may have referred to a religious sect rather than the Romani people.
Etymological Timeline
Byzantine Greek, 11th Century
Greek
athinganoi
“A name associated with a religious group; later tradition connected it with the Romani, though this identification is disputed.”
Medieval Greek, 12th–13th Century
Greek
atsinganoi
“A variant form used in references that may have helped generate later European names for the Romani.”
15th Century
German
Zigeuner
“A German term for Romani people, probably transmitted through southeastern European forms.”
16th Century
Hungarian
cigány
“The Hungarian ethnonym for Romani people, related to the wider European word family.”
17th Century
French
tsigane
“French designation for a Romani person or for Romani music and culture.”
19th Century
English
tzigane
“An English borrowing used especially in literary and musical contexts.”
Modern English
English
tzigane
“A dated term, most commonly encountered in historical writing or the musical expression “tzigane music.””
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