cockney

[ kok-nee ]

noun

, plural cock·neys.

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of the East End district of London, England, traditionally, one born and reared within the sound of Bow bells.
2. (sometimes initial capital letter) the pronunciation or dialect of cockneys.
3. Obsolete.
   1. a pampered child.
   2. a squeamish, affected, or effeminate person.

adjective

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) of or relating to cockneys or their dialect.

cockney

/ ˈkɒknɪ /

noun

1. often capital a native of London, esp of the working class born in the East End, speaking a characteristic dialect of English. Traditionally defined as someone born within the sound of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow church
2. the urban dialect of London or its East End
3. a young snapper fish

adjective

1. characteristic of cockneys or their dialect of English

Derived Forms

• ˈcockneyish, adjective

Other Words From

• cockney·ish adjective
• cockney·ish·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cockney¹

1325–75; Middle English cokeney foolish person, literally, cock's egg (i.e., malformed egg), equivalent to coken, genitive plural of cok cock ¹ + ey, Old English æg; cognate with German Ei, Old Norse egg egg ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cockney¹

C14: from cokeney, literally: cock's egg, later applied contemptuously to townsmen, from cokene, genitive plural of cok cock ¹+ ey egg ¹

Example Sentences

Andy Green, who founded the Modern Cockney Festival, said obtaining the status "may kickstart a fresh look from government agencies and public bodies to recognise the tradition and culture that pie 'n' mash represents".

From BBC

Cockney Rebel came together in the early 1970s in London.

From BBC

An academic report has suggested the idea of "Cockney culture" could be used as a tool to fight prejudice.

From BBC

If you are battling a video game goblin who speaks with a Cockney accent, or asking a gruff Scottish blacksmith to forge a virtual sword, you might be hearing the voice of actor Andy Magee.

From Seattle Times

She would have to simultaneously master two scores and two stagings while building the bespoke concert shows and learning to speak with a Cockney accent.

From New York Times