coney

noun

co·​ney ˈkō-nē How to pronounce coney (audio)
sense 1 also
ˈkə-nē How to pronounce coney (audio)
variants or cony
plural coneys or conies
1
a
: rabbit fur
b(1)
: rabbit
especially : the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
(2)
: pika
c
: hyrax
specifically : rock hyrax
2
archaic : dupe
3
: any of several fishes
especially : a dusky black-spotted reddish-finned grouper (Cephalopholis fulva synonym Epinephelus fulvus) of the tropical Atlantic

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conies, plural, from Anglo-French conis, plural of conil, from Latin cuniculus

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of coney was in the 12th century

Rhymes for coney

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Browse Nearby Words

cone wheat
coney
Coney Island
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coney.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coney. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

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Kids Definition

coney

noun
co·​ney
variants or cony
ˈkō-nē
1
a
: rabbit
especially : the common European rabbit
b
: rabbit fur
2
: pika

More from Merriam-Webster on coney

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coney

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