Word Origin & History
gigolo
1922, from Fr. gigolo, formed as a masc. of gigole "tall, thin woman; dancing girl; prostitute," perhaps from verb gigoter "to move the shanks, hop," from gigue "shank," also "fiddle," of Gmc. origin. This is perhaps the same word that was borrowed earlier as M.E. giglot (c.1340) "lewd, wanton girl," which was later applied to males (1529) with the sense "villainous man." M.E. gigletry meant "lasciviousness" (1387).