What is a Pikey?

[AWC Viper]

So.. i was Watching "Snatch" (great film, go get it) and the character played by Brad Pitt was a "Pikey". and through the whole movie i kept thinking, do pikey's actually exist? are they like Gypsy? and do they really just beat on each other for the fun of it?

Also, have you have met a Pikey.?

EDIT: ok, Why are they called "Pikeys" anyway? why not just Gypsy's?

 

[WrongSprite]

Of course they exist...where the hell do you live?

Edit: Disregard that, you're Australian. They're basically gypsies, don't suppose you get a lot over there.

 

[justcallmeslow]

It's a similar word to chav. Some regions in the UK use it to mean exactly the same thing.

 

[DuplicateValue]

I assume they're the same thing as England's "chavs", right?

 

[Woodsey]

Pikies (Pikeys?) are Gypsies. And it's pseudo-racist so I'd avoid using it - especially around gypsies.

 

[WrongSprite]

It's a similar word to chav. Some regions in the UK use it to mean exactly the same thing.

I assume they're the same thing as England's "chavs", right?

Gypsies actually chaps. =]

 

[Cherry Cola]

Gypsies. And Brad Pitt.

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Yeah, a Pikey is pretty much a Gypsy. Back where I used to live, there was a street called "Benion Road" and everyone who lived on that street was a Pikey... or so my parents and everyone who didn't live on that street told me.

 

[TheSeventhLoneWolf]

I love pikeys.

Though Caravan-Folk Is kinder to say.

 

[DuplicateValue]

It's a similar word to chav. Some regions in the UK use it to mean exactly the same thing.

I assume they're the same thing as England's "chavs", right?

Gypsies actually chaps. =]

Oh, well we don't get them down my way, so can you blame me?

 

[Naybo]

Pikeys are traditionally Gypsies, for some reason i'm thinking it was mainly the Irish Gypsies that were the Pikeys.
But today, you kinda use it as a name for anyone thats a theiving bastard, or has a dirty way of life and that horrible musty smell lurking about them.

E.G "Pikey Jack" once threatened one of my mates for a slice of pizza outside a pub in castleford, and then threw the box at him afterwards.
And smelt musty.
And was a dick.

 

[Simriel]

Its a kind of spear-y. Ooh I feel bad about that one.

 

[anthony87]

They're wankers, 'nuff said.

 

[Jammerz]

Yeah in Ireland we got a SHIT load of 'em, here they are nomads or travelers, I usually call them Knackers. They like to start random fights and travel in groups just incase the guy starting a fight gets his ass handed to him, the rest of the group can come over and kick my, I mean HIS ass.

 

[Monkfish Acc.]

"Pikey", "knacker" and "tinker" are commonly used slurs for what one might call "gypsies".
Personally, I always thought the term "traveller" was more apt. The word "gypsy" tends to bring to mind a hippy type in a colourful wagon.

I feel I should point out that the first three words mentioned are actually serious insults. The equivilent of the N-word for black people, or "******" for gay dudes.
I would not use them in a travelling community unless I planned on having my face rearranged.

 

[Wadders]

In my area they're like the bad kind of gypsies, who instead of minding their own business, steal shit and make trouble. They stole our Flymo lawn mower one year, the thieving little cunts, and they often steal farm equipment in my area too.

This dishonest tendency has given rise in some areas of the UK, to the verb "to pikey" that is, to steal something. It is also used as a general insult for anyone dishonest, dirty, or generally undesirable, as pikeys are generally disliked.

Not all gypsies are like that of course. We get some pretty cool ones who have a traveling fairground who come to our town

 

[cleverlymadeup]

EDIT: ok, Why are they called "Pikeys" anyway? why not just Gypsy's?

probly cause they live in trailer park type atmospheres and cause of the english accent, instead of coming out at parkie it's pikey

funnily enough with that dvd you can turn on the pikey subtitles that come on only when Brad Pitt comes on, cept for the "blue caravan" part

 

[justcallmeslow]

It's a similar word to chav. Some regions in the UK use it to mean exactly the same thing.

I assume they're the same thing as England's "chavs", right?

Gypsies actually chaps. =]

I've met several people who use it to mean chav. As I said, it's a regional meaning.

I was unaware of the main meaning but now I know.

 

[Trivun]

It's a similar word to chav. Some regions in the UK use it to mean exactly the same thing.

I assume they're the same thing as England's "chavs", right?

Gypsies actually chaps. =]

Hmmmmm, actually, both are right. The proper meaning of 'pikey' is 'gypsy'. However, some areas of the UK have ended up using it as a local word meaning 'chav', though this is slowly fading out now as chavs are known more (by their own instigation) as 'Rude Boys' and 'Rude Girls'. However, both references to chavs, including pikeys, have ended up being popularised by various media (for example, a quote from the first St. Trinians remake, "It's like Hogwarts for pikeys!"), thus leading to the confusion.

TL; DR: Pikey means gypsy, used in some parts of UK to mean chav. Chav also referred to as Rude Boys and Girls.

 

[aruseusx]

Of course they exist...where the hell do you live?

Edit: Disregard that, you're Australian. They're basically gypsies, don't suppose you get a lot over there.

As being from Gypsy ancestry I take offence to that. /snobbish hypocritical rant

So.. i was Watching "Snatch" (great film, go get it) and the character played by Brad Pitt was a "Pikey". and through the whole movie i kept thinking, do pikey's actually exist? are they like Gypsy? and do they really just beat on each other for the fun of it?

Also, have you have met a Pikey.?

EDIT: ok, Why are they called "Pikeys" anyway? why not just Gypsy's?

One of my favourite films. Pikey really means gypsy as the above comments have said.