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

Compare meaning

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

• Hatfield vs. McCoy

Example Sentences

“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

Banknotes were merely promises to pay money, i.e., credit, not the monetary real McCoy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

McCoy, who works in tech support for a software company, was unaware of the legal debate around geofencing when he became a target of it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

McCoy said the annual event had since "gained momentum - more and more people are ready to put their time into partnering up with us, which is really lovely".

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Even though I knew it was useless I tried tugging at the bars but they were the real McCoy, solid steel.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis