ikey

English

Etymology

Ike +‎ -y, representing a colloquial abbreviation of Isaac.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʌɪki/

Noun

ikey (plural ikeys)

1. (slang, derogatory) A Jew.
   • 1906, Banjo Paterson, Wisdom of Hafiz:

     My son, if you go to the races to battle with Ikey and Mo,
     Remember, it's seldom the pigeon can pick out the eye of the crow;

   • 1931, Dorothy L Sayers, chapter 29, in The Five Red Herrings:

     I meant to start from Barrhill, but I missed the train, and then I hung on to old Ikey-Mo, which made my alibi much better,

Adjective

ikey (comparative more ikey, superlative most ikey)

1. (slang, derogatory) Having negative traits stereotypically associated with Jews; cunning, supercilious.
   • 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 10”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:

     Clara had always been ‘ikey’ – reserved and superior.

   • 1922 February, James Joyce, Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:

     What Arthur Griffith said about the headpiece over the Freeman leader: a homerule sun rising up in the northwest from the laneway behind the bank of Ireland. He prolonged his pleased smile. Ikey touch that: homerule sun rising up in the northwest.

See also

• Ikey Mo