Zingaro
/ˈdziŋ.ɡa.ro/noun
An Italian word for a Romani person; in English it appears mainly as a loanword or in proper names.
Did you know?Italian zingaro ultimately comes from a Byzantine Greek word used for a marginalized wandering people, and its history shows how language can preserve social prejudice for centuries.
Etymological Timeline
Byzantine Greek
Greek
athinganoi
“A name applied to a sect or group considered untouchable or unreachable; later associated with Romani people in Greek usage.”
Medieval Greek
Greek
tsinganoi
“A later Greek form used for Romani groups, likely influenced by the earlier term.”
13th–14th Century
Italian
zingaro
“An Italian term for a Romani person.”
Modern English
English
zingaro
“A loanword appearing mainly in artistic, literary, or historical contexts.”