cockney

(käk)

noun pl. cockneys

  1. a person born in the East End of London, England, traditionally one born within the sound of “Bow Bells” (i.e., the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow) and speaking a characteristic dialect
  2. this dialect, characterized by extreme diphthongization, loss of the initial (h) sound, and use of an intrusive (r)
  3. loosely any person born or living in London: a humorous or disparaging usage

Origin: ME cokenei, spoiled child, milksop; understood as coken-ey, lit., cock's egg < coken (OE cocena, gen. pl.), of cocks + ey (OE æg), egg; ? infl. by Fr acoquiné, idle, spoiled (< coquin, rascal)

adjective

of or like cockneys or their dialect

Related Forms:

See cockney in American Heritage Dictionary 4

or Cock·ney

noun pl. cock·neys or Cock·neys
  1. A native of the East End of London.
  2. The dialect or accent of the natives of the East End of London.
adjective
Of or relating to cockneys or their dialect.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English cokenei, cock's egg, pampered child, city dweller

Origin: : coken, cock (possibly blend of cok; see cock1, and chiken, chicken; see chicken)

Origin: + ei, egg (from Old English ǣg; see awi- in Indo-European roots)

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