What word did Whoopi Goldberg say? Romani slur Gypped meaning explored as The View host issues apology

Whoopi Goldberg came under fire once again after using the word “gypped,” considered to be a Romani slur, during a recent episode of The View. The actress was reportedly discussing Donald Trump’s hush money payment scandal involving Stormy Daniels when she said:

“The people who still believe that he got, you know, gypped somehow, will still believe that he cared enough… about his wife to pay that money from his personal thing. I just don’t understand. If that was the case, then why all the subterfuge? Why is Michael Cohen paying for it?”

While Goldberg allegedly used the term to mean “cheated or swindled,” some people pointed out that the word was also used in a derogatory sense towards Romani people.

Shortly after, Whoopi Goldberg shared an apology video and said that although she did not use the words in a derogatory sense towards Romanis, she should have thought about the impact before using the word on TV:

“You know when you're a certain age you use words that you know from when you're a kid or you remember saying, and that's what I did today and I shouldn't have, I should have thought about it a little longer before I said it. But I didn't and I should have said ‘cheated,’ but I used another word and I'm really, really sorry.”

Goldberg also found herself in the middle of a controversy last year after making offensive comments about the Holocaust during an appearance on her show.

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What does the term “gypped” mean?

The word “gypped” is sometimes used to define the act of cheating. However, it has a different connotation on etymological terms and is reportedly used as derogatory slang for people of Romani heritage.

According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term defines “being cheated, defrauded or swindled.” However, the site notes that on etymological terms it is “probably short for gypsy.”

Dictionary.com also confirms that the word means “to swindle, cheat, or defraud.” Meanwhile, it also notes that the term might have originated from the word “gypsy.”

The word “Gypsy” was often used to describe Romani people. The term “gypped” is considered to be derogatory towards people with Romani heritage and is therefore avoided in general conversations.

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Twitter reacts to Whoopi Goldberg’s apology for using Romani slur

Whoopi Goldberg's apology for using a Romani slur left netizens divided (Image via Getty Images)

The View host Whoopi Goldberg recently shared an apology video for mistakenly using the Romani slur “gypped” during the latest episode of the show.

The award-winning actress clarified that she used the word to mean “cheated or swindled” but apologized for not thinking deeply enough before using the controversial term.

In the wake of Goldberg’s latest controversy, some took to Twitter to continue calling out the Till star.

However, many appreciated the actress for her apology and said that they were unaware of the word’s controversial meaning.

Last year, Whoopi Goldberg was suspended from The View for two weeks after saying that the Holocaust was “not about race” but “white supremacy” and “man's inhumanity to man.”

She later acknowledged the situation in an interview, but faced further backlash for allegedly “doubling down” on her comments. The actress later explained that her interview was misunderstood and apologized for her inappropriate remarks about the genocide.