What does "gyp" mean?
A cheat or swindle; a rip-off.
Gyp
/d͡ʒɪp/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A cheat or swindle; a rip-off.
- Grammar: gyp is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ballot-box stuffing, bandog, beat, beguile.
- Useful contrasts: fair dealing, honest person, honesty.
- Usage evidence: 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!
How to use "gyp"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gyp" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gyp" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gyp" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gyp" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gyp" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ballot-box stuffing" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A cheat or swindle; a rip-off. derogatory, offensive, sometimes
"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!"
- 2 A domestic servant, generally male, who would attend upon (usually several) students, brushing their clothes, carrying parcels, waiting at parties and other tasks; generally equivalent to a scout in the historical sense at Oxford University or a skip at Trinity College, Dublin. historical
"All was neglect. The outer door of this room, which was open, was nearly on a level with the Quadrangle — some coats and trousers and boots were upon the ebony table and a "gyp" was brushing away at them just within the door — in wet weather he performed these functions entirely within the library, as innocent of the incongruity of his position as my guide himself."
- 3 Gypsophila.
- 4 Pain or discomfort.
"My back's giving me gyp."
- 5 (sometimes offensive) an act of swindling or cheating wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Synonym of gypsy (“contra dance step”).
- 7 The room in which such college servants work.
- 8 A small kitchen for use by college students.
Verb
- 1 To cheat or swindle. derogatory, offensive, sometimes
"The cab driver gypped me out of ten bucks by taking the longer route."
- 2 (sometimes offensive) to cheat or swindle wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"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!"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gyp"?
Common synonyms include: ballot-box stuffing, bandog, beat, beguile, beguile of, biddy.
How do you use "gyp" in a sentence?
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!
How do you pronounce "gyp"?
Pronounced /d͡ʒɪp/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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. Could also be derived from dupe, with the same pattern (yod coalescence) as idiot becomes eejit in Scottish English.
Etymology 2
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/), "in reference to thievish habits of the servants" (and then derived Etymology 1 thence), but this does not explain the pronunciation.
Etymology 3
Shortening.
Etymology 4
Perhaps from gee up.