Romani

noun

Ro·​ma·​ni ˈrä-mə-nē 

ˈrō-

variants or Romany

plural Romani or Romanis or Romanies

1

: a member of a traditionally itinerant people who originated in northern India and now live chiefly in Europe and in smaller numbers throughout the world : rom entry 1

Racist violence against Romani in eastern Europe is reminiscent of pogroms against the Jews in the Tsarist Empire.

—Donald Kenrick

Headlines in Europe this month have highlighted the continent's worst, and most ill-managed social problem: the treatment of millions of Romanies who face at best discrimination and at worst persecution.

—The Economist

Note: Romani people are also referred to as Gypsies, a term that is still frequently encountered in English but is increasingly regarded as offensive.

2

: the Indo-Aryan language of the Romani

Today Romani exists in many dialects, reflecting the paths of Rom dispersion.

—Carol Silverman

Others believe the source [of cushy] is more likely to be a different Indic language, Romany, where the word is kushto, "good."

—Jan Freeman

Romani adjective

or Romany

the Romani language

the Romani people

Examples of Romani in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One of them replicated the Jasenovac concentration camp in what is now Croatia where tens of thousands of Jews, Romani, and Serbs were murdered during World War II. —Vittoria Elliott, WIRED, 18 July 2024

For example, Romani is a language that has many dialects all throughout Europe. —Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 27 June 2024

Cami San Romani, owner of Cami’s Cake Co. in Eudora, Kan., uses jars to serve peach cobbler, apple pie and cakes at weddings. —Sarah Gish, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024

The basilica, which dates back sixteen centuries, features the Salus Populi Romani — an ancient icon of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus believed to be from the 6th century. —Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 13 Dec. 2023

Faith Pinho: This is exactly why some Romani women are turning away from the Romani kris. —The Foretold Team, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2023

Catalan Police Arresting a Romani Couple, by Carlos Vázquez Úbeda, ventures into social realism, imagining a scene from the brutal roundup and execution of Romani ordered by the Spanish monarchy in 1749. —Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 14 May 2023

Lazio, the region where Rome is located, is also not well known for major wines above and beyond some of the simple whites from the Castelli Romani, often favored by the Pope. —Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022

Overall, our genome-wide study sheds new light on the origins and demographic history of European Romani. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 9 Dec. 2012

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Romani řomani, feminine of řomano "of the Roma," from řom "man, married man, male Rom" + -ano, adjective suffix (in reference to language by ellipsis from řomani čhib "Romani language") — more at rom entry 1

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Romani

noun

Ro·​ma·​ni

ˈräm-ə-nē,

ˈrō-mə-

variants or Romany

plural Romani or Romanis or Romanies

1

: a member of a people who originated in northern India and now live chiefly in Europe and in smaller numbers throughout the world and who traditionally live by moving from place to place

2

: the language of the Romani

Romani adjective

or Romany