McCoy

American  

[muh-koi] / məˈkɔɪ /

noun

1. Usually the McCoy or the real McCoy the genuine thing or person as promised, stated, or implied.

   Those other paintings are copies, but this one is the McCoy.

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McCoy ¹ British  

/ məˈkɔɪ /

noun

1. slang the genuine person or thing (esp in the phrase the real McCoy )

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McCoy ² British  

/ məˈkɔɪ /

noun

1. Tony, full name Anthony Peter McCoy. born 1974, Northern Irish national hunt jockey: champion jockey every season since 1995/96

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Etymology

Origin of McCoy

First recorded in 1880–85; also Mackay, McKie, the clear McCoy (of liquor); of uncertain origin; hypothesized identifications with Mackay, a Scottish clan, and Kid McCoy, nickname of U.S. boxer Norman Selby (1873–1940), are unsubstantiated

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Compare meaning

How does mccoy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Hatfield vs. McCoy

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

McCoy

Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy and William Hartnell are among the stars who portrayed reincarnations of the Doctor in the original series of the show, which was cancelled in 1989.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Imperial Beach couple Mike and Patricia McCoy have inspired generations of coastal conservationists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

All are fragile and unique, and nothing should get wet, said John McCoy, a thermal protection specialist who worked on Discovery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

“Children need to feel good about their environment, because that’s all part of their mental health,” McCoy said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

McCoy feared that the rarefied air in the Enterprise was enervating the crew.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

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