cockney
noun
a native or inhabitant of the East End district of London, England, traditionally, one born and reared within the sound of Bow bells.
cockneys
-
pluralof cockney.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The famous Bow-bell-birth definition of a Cockney is attributed to a 1571 sermon: "We are thorough out all the Realme called cockneys that are borne in London, or in the sounde of Bow bell."
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2024
As to the question of whether these younger Essex dwellers can be defined as cockneys, Dr Cole says that is not how they perceive themselves.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2023
Of all the cockneys on the list, Helena Bonham Carter is probably the least familiar with a plate of jellied eels, being the great-granddaughter of former prime minister Herbert H Asquith.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 26, 2013
There are those who believe that true Londoners are cockneys, and to be one of those you must be born within earshot of Bow Bells.
From New York Times ● Mar. 1, 2012
But there, in the Conqueror’s tower, a constant ebb and flow of cockneys would be livening the frost.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
