Added 9 October 2026
crony
/ˈkɹoʊni/ noun
In Latin: none, coined in 1655 Coined: 1655 Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about crony at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities.
Origin
Coined between 1655 and 1665 from Ancient Greek χρόνιος (khrónios, “perennial, long-lasting”); see also chrono- (“time”). Initially Cambridge University slang, in sense of “chum”, as “friend of long standing”, with illegal connotation later. Early spellings included chrony, as in 1665 diary by Samuel Pepys, supporting the Greek origin.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)