țigan

== Romanian == === Etymology === 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”)(a compound of privative ἀ- (a-) + θιγγάνω (thingánō, “to touch”)), used also as the name of a Christian sect. Compare Russian цыган (cygan), Hungarian cigány, Portuguese cigano and German Zigeuner, which are from the same Greek source (as well as Italian zingaro, French tzigane, ultimately). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /t͡siˈɡan/ === Noun === țigan m (plural țigani, feminine equivalent țigancă) (now sometimes offensive) Gypsy ==== Usage notes ==== 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". 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. ==== Declension ==== === Adjective === țigan m or n (feminine singular țigană, masculine plural țigani, feminine/neuter plural țigane) (sometimes offensive, ethnonym) Gypsy ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === References ===