fogy

American  

[foh-gee] / ˈfoʊ gi /

Or fogey

noun

fogies plural

1. an excessively conservative or old-fashioned person, especially one who is intellectually dull (usually preceded byold ).

   The board of directors were old fogies still living in the 19th century.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fogyism
  noun
• fogyish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fogies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fogy

First recorded in 1770–80; origin uncertain

Explanation

A fogy is an old fashioned, boring, unstylish person. You might accuse your dad of being an old fogy if he tells you to turn down your music. You can spell the word fogy or fogey — either way, you're probably talking about an older person, and you're definitely talking about a dull, conservative person. The word comes from the Scottish foggie, and it originally meant "an army veteran." Fogy may be related to the antiquated slang word fogram, "old fashioned person," or from an early, now obscure meaning of fog, "bloated fat."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fogy fogies

Consequently, throughout the 1970s and ’80s Wilson was viewed as a Tory, a young fogy.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 23, 2022

I comfortably describe myself as an old fogy.

From Slate ● Feb. 6, 2018

Simply being young does not guarantee immunity from the frustratingly crusty decisions of a stereotypical fogy.

From New York Times ● May 19, 2013

Does all of this make me an old fogy?

From New York Times ● Sep. 27, 2010

Any one would with that old fogy, old man Harrison, worrying you to death with his old-maidish ways.

From The Rosie World by Fillmore, Parker

“What it says for old fogies like me, is that the young are hungry for the word of God,” said Oldham, who is in his 40s.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 2, 2024

In recent years, people worried about inflation were regarded as falling somewhere between fogies and cranks.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2022

Time and sorrow may make fogies of us all.

From Slate ● Feb. 9, 2021

But in our multiple-exclamation-pointed, totally amazing, but like oh-em-gee, the worst society, this kind of over-the-top rhetoric is what passes for what we old fogies used to call “contrast” in elections.

From Fox News ● Aug. 28, 2020

You see we old fogies haven’t got your fine healthy jackass-and-a-bundle-of-greens appetite.

From The Triumph of Hilary Blachland by Mitford, Bertram