Origin: 1880–85; < French tzigane, probably < Hungarian cigány, akin to German Zigeuner,Romanian ţigan,Serbo-Croatian cȉganin,Bulgarian tsíganin, all ultimately < Medieval Greek (a)tsínganos, earlier athínganos member of a heretical sect of Phrygia, perhaps literally, “untouchable, inviolable” (Greek a-a-6 + -thinganos, derivative of thingánein to touch)