Cockney
/ˈkɒk.ni/noun
A Londoner, especially one from the East End, or the dialect associated with them.
Did you know?The oldest form of *cockney* appears to come from a Middle English phrase meaning “cock’s egg,” a bizarre term for something abnormal or inferior, long before it became a London identity.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
cokeney
“A spoiled or effeminate child; a peevish or pampered person, later a town-dweller thought to be soft and inexperienced.”
14th Century
English
cockenei
“A term of contempt for a weak or effeminate person, especially one unfamiliar with rural life.”
Late Middle English
English
cock's egg
“A fanciful expression for something unnatural or worthless, likely influencing the word's form and sense.”
16th–17th Century
English
Cockney
“A Londoner, especially one born within the sound of Bow Bells; later, a speaker of the London dialect.”
Modern English
English
cockney
“A Londoner or the traditional London dialect associated with working-class East End speech.”