crony English · revision 2466

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkɹəʊni/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkɹoʊni/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It began as student slang, probably at Cambridge,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) and is perhaps based on [[grc|χρόνιος|tr=khrónios|t=long-lasting]], from ''khrónos'' “time”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) in the sense of an old friend or a contemporary.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An intimate friend or associate, spelled ''chrony'' (1660s).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word has kept its basic meaning of a close friend of long standing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) Wiktionary records a later sense of a trusted partner in a criminal organization,^(Wiktionary) and the derivative ''cronyism'' carries a similar suggestion of favouritism.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1656 – first date given by Merriam-Webster.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1663 – attributive use.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1665 – ''chrony'', an intimate friend.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1826 – verb, to associate as cronies.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A close friend or companion, especially of long standing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A trusted associate in a criminal organization.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cronyism]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[chronic]]

+ * [[chronicle]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}