Dictionary

eeny, meeny, miny, moe en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌini ˌmini ˌmaɪni ˈmoʊ/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Compare Dutch iene miene mutte, German ene mene mu.

Meanings

1. (qualifier:playground games, uncountable) A method of choosing between two or more people or things, used by children. A child points to each item in turn (or alternately), while saying a rhyme starting "Eeny, meeny, miney, moe", moving to the next item after each word. The item pointed to on the last word of the rhyme is the one chosen.
   • "Graham's quick reminder was crucial because I couldn't remember what anyone said. It was eeny-meany-miney-moe. Sue was miney." 2024 May 22, The Guardian, London, page 8, column 4:
   • “Well”, said Lord Galen in some dismay, “I suppose we shall have to cast lots or play at Eeni Meeni Mina Mo?” 1985, Lawrence Durrell, Quinx, Faber & Faber; (Avignon Quintet), published 2004, page 1252:
   • “...As for this thing”, ... he held up the shuttlecock, contaminated, in his outstretched right [hand], “this idiot tickler, the only thing it's good for is eeny-meeny-miney-mo”. 1959, John Knowles, chapter 3, in A Separate Peace:

Forms

Relateds

duck, duck, goose · nievie-nievie-nick-nack · tinker, tailor · ip dip

Translations (42)

yue 點指兵兵 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · no akka bakka bonka rakka (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · cmn 你拍一，我拍一，一隻小貓坐飛機 /你拍一 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · sq e treta e vërteta (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · de ene mene miste (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · cmn 我拍一 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · da ælle bælle mig fortælle (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · bg а́ла ба́ла ни́ца ту́рска пани́ца, ой ги́ди Ва́нчо наш капита́нчо (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ru э́ники бе́ники (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · sv ole, dole, doff (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ru э́ни бе́ни (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · it ambarabà ciccì coccò (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · es una, dole, tele, catole (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · fa آن مان نواران (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · no elle melle deg fortelle (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ar حكرة بكرة (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · cmn 一只小猫坐飞机 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · fi entten-tentten-teelika-mentten (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · nl iene miene mutte (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · no enike penike (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · he אן דן דינו (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · hi अक्कड़ बक्कड़ बम्बे बो (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · is úllen dúllen doff (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · es detín dedón, marín pingüé, cucara macara, piquere fue (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · es pito, pito, gorgorito (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · sq rrumbullak strumbullak (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · fr ams tram gram (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ro ala-bala portocala (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · yue 點指兵兵 /点指兵兵 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ja どちらにしようかな (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · yue 点着谁人做大兵 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ro an-tan-te (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · pt uni-duni-tê (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · hi ईना मीना डीका (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · id cap cip cup kembang kuncup, kuda lari kejepit pintu (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · ceb butikaw, butikaw, ikaw (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · pl ene due rike fake (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · pl entliczek pentliczek czerwony stoliczek na kogo wypadnie na tego bec (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · it (Liguria) igne migne magna mo (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · yue 點著誰人做大兵 /点指兵兵 (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · el α μπε μπα μπλομ (similar children's counting-out games in other languages) · de ene mene mu (similar children's counting-out games in other languages)