noun
Cockney
KOK-nee
noun
1
A person from the East End of London, traditionally one born within hearing of the Bow Bells; also, more loosely, any working-class Londoner.
"Her grandfather was a proud cockney from Bethnal Green."
2
The distinctive accent and dialect associated with these Londoners.
"He slipped into a broad cockney whenever he got excited."
How to Use Cockney
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA working-class East Londoner, or the accent they speak.
Common pairings
cockney rhyming slang
a cockney accent
Word Forms
Cockneys plural, cockneys plural
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Her grandfather was a proud _____ from Bethnal Green.
Etymology
First recorded around 1600, from Middle English cokenay, originally meaning a spoilt or pampered child, later used by country folk as a mocking term for city dwellers.