While his origins are mysterious and he is often depicted as dark and brooding, the text never explicitly states he is a gypsy. The term "gypsy" was used in a derogatory way at the time Brontë was writing, often associating them with vagrancy and thievery.
Here's what we know about Heathcliff's background from the novel:
* His arrival is unexplained: He is brought to Wuthering Heights as a young boy, with no known family or history.
* His appearance is described as dark and foreign: This might be interpreted as a clue to his ethnicity, but it doesn't definitively point to him being a gypsy.
* His behaviour is often wild and unpredictable: This could be seen as consistent with the stereotype of gypsies, but it's also a result of his traumatic childhood and the oppressive environment he's subjected to.
In conclusion, Heathcliff's background is intentionally left ambiguous in the novel. He is an outsider, with a mysterious past, but labeling him as a gypsy relies on outdated and harmful stereotypes.