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limey

[ lahy-mee ]
/ ˈlaɪ mi /
Slang: Usually Disparaging and Offensive.

noun, plural lim·eys.

a British sailor.
a British ship.
a British person.

adjective

British.

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Origin of limey

First recorded in 1885–90; see origin at lime-juicer, -y2

usage note for limey

This term (and the earlier lime-juicer ) was probably first applied by Americans to British sailors, used with disparaging intent and perceived as insulting. Historically, it also referred to a British immigrant in Australia. Later it became a more neutral nickname for any British person.

Words nearby limey

lime sulfur, lime tree, lime twig, limewater, limewood, limey, Lim Fjord, limicoline, limicolous, liminal, liminality
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for limey

limey
/ (ˈlaɪmɪ) US and Canadian slang /

noun

a British person
a British sailor or ship

adjective

British

Word Origin for limey

abbreviated from C19 lime-juicer, because British sailors were required to drink lime juice as a protection against scurvy
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012