Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A little man with an unduly high opinion of himself.
  • noun Boastful talk; braggadocio.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A person of consequence; a self-important person.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A menial, yet self-important man, empty boaster.
  • noun The game leapfrog.
  • noun A boastful speech.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Perhaps alteration (influenced by Latin -ōrum, genitive pl. ending) of obsolete Flemish kockeloeren, to crow, of imitative origin.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Probably from a Dutch dialectal kockeloeren an onomatopeia; hence modern Dutch verb koekeloeren ("to crow").

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Examples

  • For "cockalorum," be it noted, we frequently substituted the name of some particularly obnoxious master.

    My Days of Adventure The Fall of France, 1870-71 Ernest Alfred Vizetelly 1887

  • No trespassers allowed -- eh, what? young cockalorum.

    The Dark House 1922

  • "Now, Lucas, dear boy," said Heriot genially, "tell this old cockalorum who you saw off on a steamer for South America."

    The Prodigal Father 1907

  • "I suppose he thinks he's the grand high cockalorum!" she told herself, chuckling.

    The Iron Woman Margaret Wade Campbell Deland 1901

  • Like so many of his fellows -- cultured moderns, alien to the larger forms of patriotism, that rich liquor brewed of maps and figures, commercial profit, and high-cockalorum, which served so perfectly to swell smaller heads -- Felix had a love of his native land resembling love for a woman,

    The Freelands John Galsworthy 1900

  • "Hollo, young cockalorum, is it there you are!" shouted Pete.

    The Manxman A Novel - 1895 Hall Caine 1892

  • "You must call it 'hot cockalorum,' and what this?" he went on, pointing to the water.

    English Fairy Tales Joseph Jacobs 1885

  • "You'll be all right soon, my helpless old cockalorum," he cried cheerily.

    Fix Bay'nets The Regiment in the Hills George Manville Fenn 1870

  • And he put on such high-cockalorum airs that I, bein 'as soft as mush around the heart, jest wilted and agreed to give him everything he bargained for if he would promise not to hinder.

    A Chosen Few Short Stories Frank Richard Stockton 1868

  • I really do try to behave, but I have my cockalorum set for 11 p.m., and when it goes off ...

    Latest Articles free rice 2009

Comments

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  • A boastful and self-important person; boastful talk

    citation

    September 5, 2008

  • noun

    1. a young cockerel

    2. a boastful but little person

    October 28, 2008

  • His grandeur he finds in a humble forum,
    Where clustering fans clearly adore him.
    His pulse always quickens
    When feeding the chickens;
    Then Ernest can strut like a true cockalorum.

    Find out more about Ernest Bafflewit

    July 15, 2014

  • 1. A little man with an unduly high opinion of himself. 2. The game leapfrog.

    "A cockalorum playing cockalorum."

    March 28, 2018