crony means A close friend. It carries an Arena rating of 1670, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, crony ranks #628 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,725 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #2,238 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #2,449 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
crony is pronounced /ˈkɹoʊni/.
Why “crony” is a great word
A close friend of long standing, often with a connotation of favoritism or complicity in questionable activities. From Ancient Greek χρόνιος (khrónios, "long-lasting, perennial"), from χρόνος (khrónos, "time"), it was coined as Cambridge University slang between 1655 and 1665 for a long-standing friend. Unlike an "associate," which suggests a formal or professional link, or a "confidant," which implies a vault of shared secrets, a crony is defined by the sheer weight of shared years and the unspoken agreements they forge. It is the scent of old brandy in a private club, the knowing nod across a boardroom table, and the handshake that seals a deal no contract could ever describe—a friendship grown so comfortable in its own power it casts a long shadow.
Etymology
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.
noun
- A close friend.
- A trusted companion or partner in a criminal organization.
- An old woman; a crone.e.g.“Marry not an old crony.” — 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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