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# cocky

adjective (cocky, cockier, cockiest — informal); noun (a cocky, cockies — Australia, informal)

«cocky» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal) Too confident and sure of yourself in an annoying or rude way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#m1)
2. (Australia, informal) A cockatoo, the noisy crested parrot. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#m2)
3. (Australia, informal) A farmer, especially a small farmer («a cow cocky»). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories and sport it describes a show-off who is sure they will win, often before they lose. Coaches warn teams not to get cocky. In Australia, «cocky» is also a friendly name for a cockatoo or a farmer. It tells the reader someone thinks too much of themselves, or names an Australian bird or farmer.

### Examples

- He got cocky after winning and lost the next game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x1)
- Don't be so cocky — the test isn't marked yet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x2)
- The cocky hare stopped for a nap and the tortoise won. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x3)
- A flock of cockies screeched in the gum trees. (Australia) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x4)
- My uncle is a cocky with sheep and wheat. (Australia) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x5)
- She gave a cocky grin as she crossed the finish line. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x6)
- “Yes, he is rather cocky,” Wendy admitted with regret. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/#x7)

### Note

Comparative cockier, superlative cockiest. Informal: avoid it in formal writing; formal words are «overconfident», «arrogant». Being confident is good; being cocky is too much.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «cocky» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cocky/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«cocky» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cocky.html) on Mova free.