Georgian · insult · noun
Cockalorum
kok-uh-LOR-um /ˈkɒkəˌlɔːɹəm/pronunciation given by a dictionary
First recordedc. 1798 (as a self-important person)
A little man with a big opinion of himself; a self-important boaster. It can also mean boastful talk itself, and 'high cockalorum' is a leapfrog-style game.
Where it was first recorded
Dated c. 1798 in the 'self-important person' sense by Merriam-Webster; Dictionary.com dates the word itself to 1705–15.
Related: high cockalorum (a leapfrog-style game)
In its own time
I remark that everyone (with the exception of such Cockalorums as the Guard, who rather stands on the dignity of his uniform, I imagine) understands the Captain's English, while they don't seem to get on very well with my French.
Today
Modern exampleThe new regional manager strutted round the office like a cockalorum, renaming everyone's job titles.
Fine to use as a playful jab at a pompous, self-important person.
Green's Dictionary of Slang records a separate 20th-century slang sense meaning 'penis' (from 1969); the ordinary dictionary sense is 'boastful, self-important person'.
Questions
What does cockalorum mean?
A little man with a big opinion of himself; a self-important boaster. It can also mean boastful talk itself, and 'high cockalorum' is a leapfrog-style game.
When was cockalorum first used?
It is first recorded c. 1798 (as a self-important person) — Dated c. 1798 in the 'self-important person' sense by Merriam-Webster; Dictionary.com dates the word itself to 1705–15.
Can you still use cockalorum today?
Fine to use as a playful jab at a pompous, self-important person.
Sources
- cockalorum — Merriam-Webster
- cockalorum — Wiktionary
- cockalorum, n. — Green's Dictionary of Slang
Checked 2026-09-30 · verdict: attested — found in the dictionaries and texts listed above