arixhi

Albanian

Alternative forms

• arexhi — dialectal
• arxho, aro — Dogançe

Etymology

From ari (“bear”) +‎ -xhi, since in circuses usually people of Roma background would be bear tamers. Compare Romanian ursar, Greek αρκουδιάρης (arkoudiáris), Bulgarian мечка́р (mečkár), also commonly used to refer to Gypsies.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aɾiˈd͡ʒi/
• Rhymes: -i

Noun

arixhi m (plural arixhinj, definite arhixhiu, definite plural arixhinjtë)

1. Gypsy, Roma

   Synonyms: cigan, magjyp

Derived terms

• arixheshkë
• arixhofkë

 

References

• “arixhí,~u”, in FGJSSH: Fjalor i gjuhës së sotme shqipe [Dictionary of the modern Albanian language]‎^[1] (in Albanian), 1980, page 49a
• Mann, S. E. (1948) “arixhí”, in An Historical Albanian–English Dictionary, London: Longmans, Green & Co., page 11a