bluey
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Lead.—German, BLEI. Most likely, though, from the colour, as the term is of the very lowest slang.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bluey” mean?
Lead.—German, BLEI. Most likely, though, from the colour, as the term is of the very lowest slang.
Is “bluey” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.