Dictionary

Cockney en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɒk.ni/ (UK)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

First attested in Samuel Rowland's 1600 The Letting of Humours Blood in the Head-Vaine as "a Bowe-bell Cockney", from Middle English cokenay (“a spoiled child; a milksop, an effeminate man”), used in the 16th c. by English country folk as a term of disparagement for city dwellers, of uncertain etymology. Possibly from Middle English cokeney (“a small, misshapen egg”), from coken (“cocks'(rooster’s)”) + ey (“egg”) or from Cockney and Cocknay, variants of Cockaigne, a mythical land of luxury (first attested in 1305) eventually used as a humorous epithet of London. Compare cocker (“to spoil a child”).

Meanings

1. (UK, not-comparable) From the East End of London, or London generally.
2. (not-comparable) Of or relating to people from this area or their speech style.

Forms

Cockney en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɒk.ni/ (UK)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

First attested in Samuel Rowland's 1600 The Letting of Humours Blood in the Head-Vaine as "a Bowe-bell Cockney", from Middle English cokenay (“a spoiled child; a milksop, an effeminate man”), used in the 16th c. by English country folk as a term of disparagement for city dwellers, of uncertain etymology. Possibly from Middle English cokeney (“a small, misshapen egg”), from coken (“cocks'(rooster’s)”) + ey (“egg”) or from Cockney and Cocknay, variants of Cockaigne, a mythical land of luxury (first attested in 1305) eventually used as a humorous epithet of London. Compare cocker (“to spoil a child”).

Meanings

1. (UK, slang) Any Londoner.
   • COCKNEY, a native of London. An ancient nickname implying effeminacy, used by the oldest English writers, and derived from the imaginary fool's paradise, or lubberland, Cockaygne. 1859, J.C. Hotten, A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant and Vulgar Words, section 22:
2. (UK) A Londoner born within earshot of the city's Bow Bells, or (now generically) any working-class Londoner.
   • “Charming place, ma’am,” said he, bowing to the widow; “noble prospect—delightful to us Cocknies, who seldom see anything but Pall Mall.” 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 26, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
   • Parkinson: You made films before, but the part that really made your name was Zulu, wasn't it […] and there of course—against type—you played the toff, you played the officer. Caine: I played the officer, yeah, and everybody thought I was like that. Everyone was so shocked when they met me, this like Cockney guy had played this toffee-nosed git. 2000 December 18, BBC and Bafta Tribute to Michael Caine, 16:43-17:05:
   • A Cockney or Cocksie, applied only to one born within the sound of Bow bell, that is in the City of London. 1617, John Minsheu, Ductor in Linguas:
   • Londoners, and all within the sound of Bow Bell, are in reproach called Cockneys. 1617, Fynes Moryson, An Itinerary:

Forms

Cockney en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɒk.ni/ (UK)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

First attested in Samuel Rowland's 1600 The Letting of Humours Blood in the Head-Vaine as "a Bowe-bell Cockney", from Middle English cokenay (“a spoiled child; a milksop, an effeminate man”), used in the 16th c. by English country folk as a term of disparagement for city dwellers, of uncertain etymology. Possibly from Middle English cokeney (“a small, misshapen egg”), from coken (“cocks'(rooster’s)”) + ey (“egg”) or from Cockney and Cocknay, variants of Cockaigne, a mythical land of luxury (first attested in 1305) eventually used as a humorous epithet of London. Compare cocker (“to spoil a child”).

Meanings

1. The dialect or accent of such Londoners.

Forms

Deriveds

Sylheti Cockney · mockney