cocky

¹

[kok-ee]

adjective

cockier, cockiest 

1. arrogant; pertly self-assertive; conceited;

   He walked in with a cocky air.

cocky

²

[kok-ee]

noun

plural

cockies 

1. Australian.

   1. cockatoo.

   2. cockatoo.

2. cockatiel.

cocky

³

[kok-ee]

verb (used without object)

Newfoundland.

cockied, cockying 

1. copy.

cocky

¹

/ ˈkɒkɪ /

noun

1. short for cockatoo

2. a farmer whose farm is regarded as small or of little account

cocky

²

/ ˈkɒkɪ /

adjective

1. excessively proud of oneself

Other Word Forms

• cockily adverb
• cockiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cocky¹

First recorded in 1540–50; cock ¹ + -y ¹

Origin of cocky²

First recorded in 1830–40; cock(atoo), cock(atiel) + -y ²

Origin of cocky³

Apparently a playful alteration, by association with cocky ¹

Example Sentences

Cooper runs the full acting gauntlet - veering from vulnerable to furious, cocky to distraught.

From BBC

Mach’s Shakespeare has the cocky strut of a rapper-producer with a long list of colossal hits.

From Los Angeles Times

Immediately introduced as the cocky senior resident , Langdon is later revealed to be stealing prescription drugs.

From Los Angeles Times

Kelly is a proud, cocky footballer unafraid to celebrate her tournament-winning penalty with a self-assured shrug to the fans - similar to the celebration after scoring against Italy from a rebound following her own missed penalty.

From BBC

Do people ever interpret your intensity as, “This dude’s kind of a d—?” People would always tell me I was cocky, and I’d be like, I don’t feel cocky at all.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arrogant 
• brash 
• cocksure 
• overconfident 
• presumptuous 
• self-confident www.thesaurus.com