Definition of CONY

cony

Meanings

Plural: conies

Noun

  • any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes
  • small short-eared burrowing mammal of rocky uplands of Asia and western North America
  • any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food
  • A rabbit, especially the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus (formerly known as Lepus cuniculus).
  • Rabbit fur.
  • Locally for other rabbit-like or hyrax-like animals, such as the Cape hyrax (das, dassie) or the pika (Ochotona princeps, formerly Lagomys princeps).
  • Locally for other rabbit-like or hyrax-like animals, such as the Cape hyrax (das, dassie) or the pika (Ochotona princeps, formerly Lagomys princeps).
  • Used in the Old Testament as a translation of Hebrew שָׁפָן (shafán), thought to be the rock hyrax (Procavia capensis, syn. Hyrax syriacus).
  • A simpleton; one who may be taken in by a cony-catcher.
  • An edible West Indian fish, a grouper given in different sources as: Epinephelus apua, the hind of Bermuda; nigger-fish, Epinephelus punctatus; Cephalopholis fulva.
  • Any if certain members of family Epinephelidae of Atlantic groupers, such as mutton hamlets, graysby, Cuban coneys, and rooster hinds.
  • A burbot.
  • A woman; a sweetheart.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English cony, back formation from conies (plural), from Anglo-Norman conis, the plural of connil (“rabbit”), from Latin cunīculus, of unknown origin. Cognate to Dutch konijn, German Kaninchen, Spanish conejo, and Portuguese coelho. The original pronunciation was /ˈkʌni/ (for the spelling, compare honey and money), but the similarity to cunt (and particularly homophony with cunny) led through taboo avoidance both to the word's displacement in the main by rabbit and bunny and to the spelling-pronunciation /ˈkəʊni/ becoming standard.

Synonyms

bunny, coney, coney-fish, das, dassie, hare, hyrax, mouse hare, pika, rabbit, rock rabbit

Scrabble Score: 9

cony is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
cony is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cony is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

cony is a valid Words With Friends word