The etymology of the word is not certain, but a common determination is a derivation in Greek for "(the) untouchables"derived from a
privative alpha prefix and the verb
thingano (θιγγάνειν,
thinganein, "to touch"). The Manichean sect is mentioned in
Soghdian sources.
Association with Roma
The name
Athinganoi, a later variant form of which is
Atsinganoi (ἀτσίγγανοι), came to be associated with the
Roma who first appeared in the
Byzantine Empire at the time.
Atsinganoi is the root word for the ethnical (sometimes controversial) terms "cigano", "çingene", "cigány", "zigeuner", "tzigan", "țigan", and "zingaro", words used to describe members of the Roma in various European languages. Today many of these words are still used in a derogatory sense, albeit others are the most common exonym for them in a given language. The idea of Roma as sorcerers also plays a part in the apparent confusion between the
Atzinganos (the Roma), and the
Athinganoi.