Etymology 1 Edit

Perhaps from the term gypsy (“Roma”), due to a stereotype of the Roma as swindlers. Compare jew (“defraud”), from Jew, and welsh (“swindle by defaulting on a debt”), from Welsh.[1]

Alternative forms Edit

gip jip ( eye dialect spellings )

Pronunciation Edit

Noun Edit

gyp (plural gyps)

( derogatory , sometimes sometimes offensive ) A cheat or swindle; a rip-off. Why do we have to buy this new edition of the textbook when there’s almost no difference between it and the previous one? What a gyp! gypsy ( “ contra dance step ” ) Synonym of

Usage notes Edit

Because this term is often considered to derive[1] from the exonymic term Gypsy and represent a racist stereotype of the Romani, it may be offensive. See the usage note about gypsy.

Translations Edit

a cheat or swindle; a rip-off Bulgarian: измамник (bg) m ( izmamnik ) , мошеник (bg) m ( mošenik ) Polish: kanciarz m

Verb Edit

gyp (third-person singular simple present gyps, present participle gypping, simple past and past participle gypped)

( derogatory , sometimes sometimes offensive ) To cheat or swindle someone or something inappropriately. The cab driver gypped me out of ten bucks by taking the longer route. You better watch out; they'll try to gyp you if you don't know what you're doing.

Usage notes Edit

See the notes about the noun, above.

Etymology 2 Edit

Perhaps the same as Etymology 1. An earlier theory derived the term from Ancient Greek γύψ (gúps, “vulture”) (/ɡýps/; compare Greek γύπας (gýpas) /ˈʝi.pas/),[1][2] "in reference to thievish habits of the servants" (and then derived Etymology 1 thence), but this does not explain the pronunciation.

Noun Edit

gyp (plural gyps)

Etymology 3 Edit

Shortening.

Noun Edit

gyp (plural gyps)

Etymology 4 Edit

Perhaps from gee up.

Noun Edit

gyp (plural gyps)

Pain or discomfort. My back's giving me gyp.

See also Edit