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• the real McCoy
  the real McCoy

  The best of its kind, the real thing: “That homemade pizza was the real McCoy.” The source of this expression is the story of a famous prizefighter named McCoy. He had so many imitators that no one was sure which was the real one.
• real McCoy, the
  real McCoy, the

  Also, the McCoy. The genuine thing, as in That painting's not a reproduction—it's the real McCoy. This idiom has a disputed origin, but the most likely source is its use to distinguish welterweight champion “Kid McCoy,” the name used by Norman Selby (1873-1940), from other boxers using his name to capitalize on his popularity. [c. 1900]

the real McCoy

Cultural  

1. The best of its kind, the real thing: “That homemade pizza was the real McCoy.” The source of this expression is the story of a famous prizefighter named McCoy. He had so many imitators that no one was sure which was the real one.

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real McCoy, the Idioms  

1. Also, the McCoy. The genuine thing, as in That painting's not a reproduction—it's the real McCoy. This idiom has a disputed origin, but the most likely source is its use to distinguish welterweight champion “Kid McCoy,” the name used by Norman Selby (1873-1940), from other boxers using his name to capitalize on his popularity. [c. 1900]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

the real McCoy real McCoy, the

Graham Taylor, who started Helix Biotech last year, says labs have shown that their mimics trigger similar immune responses to the real McCoy.

From Science Magazine ● May 30, 2023

Dear Carolyn: My spouse has severe celiac disease — the real McCoy with almost shocklike reactions requiring emergency treatment, injections, etc.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 5, 2023

It’s only in theater that we come to the real McCoy, as it were.

From New York Times ● May 16, 2022

But like “Gilligan’s Island” spinoffs “The New Adventures of Gilligan” and “Gilligan’s Planet,” they can’t seem to capture the magic of the real McCoy — and they’re at risk of being canceled because of it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2019

Even though I knew it was useless I tried tugging at the bars but they were the real McCoy, solid steel.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis

But here is the real McCoy, the tastes and values of the general public valorized.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2015