codger

noun

cod·​ger ˈkä-jər How to pronounce codger (audio)
: an often mildly eccentric and usually elderly fellow
old codger

Examples of codger in a Sentence

Her father is a feisty old codger. just an old codger who never harmed anyone
Recent Examples on the Web Bezos is undaunted by these codgers, though, and sets about instructing his new employees. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023 Pitcher took off his dress shoes and socks, went down there cold and dusted those old codgers. Gregg Doyel indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis Star, 15 June 2023 He’s become the modern-day equivalent of a town crier, a character somewhere between a loving grandfather and a next-door codger with a tale for every occasion. David Lyman, The Enquirer, 2 Nov. 2020 In Coen’s adaptation, Hunter also plays the Old Man outside Macbeth’s castle, which suggests that the witches have shape-shifted into an old codger. Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022 Beyond the visual shock of St. Helen’s outburst and resultant devastation, my most vivid memory is that of an 83-year-old codger named Harry R. Truman. oregonlive, 18 May 2020 But even this codger of a galaxy knows how to get glitzy for the holidays. Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2019 Related Stories Crabby but sensible old codger Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) has amassed a fortune from his career as a prolific writer of mysteries. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 Nov. 2019 Sinatra, a rather touchy and somewhat bigoted codger in these pages, earned as much as $100,000 a week for his residency at Caesars Palace. The Economist, 11 July 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'codger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

probably alteration of cadger

First Known Use

circa 1738, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of codger was circa 1738

Dictionary Entries Near codger

Cite this Entry

“Codger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/codger. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

codger

noun
cod·​ger ˈkäj-ər How to pronounce codger (audio)
: an odd or cranky fellow

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