cocky
1 Americanadjective
verb (used without object)
noun
-
short for cockatoo
-
a farmer whose farm is regarded as small or of little account
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Adjectives
Etymology
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
Explanation
Cocky means "overly self-confident," like a cocky announcement at the beginning of the season that your soccer team will win the championship without even trying. Cocky originally meant "lecherous," or lustful, but evolved to mean "arrogantly pert" in the 1700s. Cocky people don't usually stop at bragging about themselves — they'll cut you in line at the grocery store, because they think they are too important to wait. Synonyms for cocky are conceited, egotistical, and the phrase "full of himself/herself."
Vocabulary lists containing cocky
Emotions on Display
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"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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Long Way Down
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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.
Don’t get all cocky, you 13 original colonies.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
Sam got a little cocky, tried a show-off spin, got his bird legs tangled and took a tumble.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Built by "Hitman" developers IO Interactive, "First Light" offers a new version of Bond's origin story, dropping players into the shoes of a cocky but callow young version of the spy still earning his stripes.
From Barron's • May 26, 2026
Mr. Brody’s Nick has an ingratiating, cocky but boyish allure that makes Jacki’s attraction to him persuasive.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
As chairman of the group, Six-Fingers was especially cocky and especially visible.
From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
