Coney
/ˈkʌni/noun
An archaic word for a rabbit or hare.
Did you know?The word was once so common that English writers used it for hunted rabbits long before modern “bunny” took over, and it eventually became taboo in some contexts because of its slang use for a fool or dupe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱon-
“A proposed ancient root behind Latin canis and related dog words in some reconstructions, but not securely connected to coney”
Latin
Latin
cuniculus
“Rabbit; burrow, rabbit-warren”
Late Latin
Latin
cunīculus
“Rabbit”
Old French
Old French
conis / cony
“Rabbit”
Middle English
English
cony
“Rabbit; hare”
Modern English
English
coney
“Archaic rabbit; also a historical spelling of the word”