gangsta

noun

gang·​sta ˈgaŋ(k)-stə How to pronounce gangsta (audio)
often attributive
1
: a member of an inner-city street gang
2
: a performer of gangsta rap

Examples of gangsta in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tough, gangsta image that defined late ’80s and early ’90s hip-hop had now been sanded down into something more aspirational and decidedly capitalist. Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 31 Oct. 2024 How did the Long Beach gangsta rapper become one of the must cuddly, brand-safe ambassadors of all time? Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024 What follows is a tense sequence in which Jo’s gangsta ethic is pushed to its limit. Erin Qualey, Vulture, 15 May 2024 Imagine a hardcore Black gangsta rapper going toe-to-toe with a wild-eyed white indie rock freak in makeup and shiny black leather pants, as the two repeatedly, gleefully, refer to one another using racial slurs. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for gangsta 

Word History

Etymology

respelling of gangster reflecting loss of final r

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gangsta was in 1988

Dictionary Entries Near gangsta

Cite this Entry

“Gangsta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gangsta. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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