codger

codger

English

Alternative forms

• coger (obsolete)

Etymology

Possibly derived from cadger (“hawker”).[1] Or abbreviation of coffin dodger, but this is likely to be a folk etymology.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒdʒə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑd͡ʒɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɒdʒə(ɹ)

Noun

codger (plural codgers)

1. (informal) An amusingly eccentric or grumpy and usually elderly man.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:old man

   • 1976, Saul Bellow, Humboldt's Gift, New York: Avon, →ISBN, page 418:

     Now I was a forsaken codger snuffling disgracefully from a beautiful floozy's abuse.

   • 1839, Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby:

     ‘I haven’t been drinking your health, my codger,’ replied Mr. Squeers; ‘so you have nothing to do with that.’

Derived terms

• codgerhood
• codgerly
• codgy
• old codger

 

Translations

an amusingly eccentric or grumpy and usually elderly man

Bulgarian: чешит (bg) m (češit) Czech: strejc m, dědek (cs) m, dědula m Dutch: brompot (nl), vreemde oude vent Finnish: äijänkäppänä (fi) French: grognon (fr) m, vieux bougon m Polish: dziwak (pl) m

References

1. Michael Quinion (1996–2023), “Cadge”, in World Wide Words.