cockney

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Any Londoner.

Register: slang

Examples

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.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “cockney” mean?

Any Londoner.

Is “cockney” formal or informal?

cockney is generally slang.