Johnny
- noun
- /ˈdʒɒni/
- Archaic
:
Johnny
- The term johnny was used mockingly by Union troops to describe the Confederate soldiers.
Examples
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We're chippies and they're johnnies.
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During the Civil War, Union soldiers often referred to their opponents as johnnies.
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But as you're one of these undercover johnnies, I took the precaution of not being followed.
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The johnnies charged bravely into battle, despite being heavily outnumbered by Union forces.
Synonyms
13
9.9
A soldier from the southern states in the American Civil War
6
7.8
A soldier who fought for the Southern states during the American Civil War
1
9.9
A name for a soldier from the southern states during the American Civil War
1
9.9
A small insect that lives on people and causes itching, often found on soldiers during war
Idioms
Compounds
- Literature
1
9.9
A name for a soldier from the southern states during the American Civil War
- Archaic
1
9.9
A man who waits outside a theatre to meet actors and ask for autographs
- Literature
An old story about Johnny Appleseed, a man who planted apple trees across parts of the United States
A person who plants many trees and encourages others to plant trees too
- Slur
A name used as a joke or insult for a foreigner, especially by British people
Surface Forms
Morphology
Johnny = John (opaque) = John + y
The form is built on the name 'John' with the nickname suffix '-y', but the specific meaning 'Confederate soldier' is a historical metonymic usage that is not predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Johnny comes from the very common name John, which people often use as a simple name for any man. During the American Civil War, Union soldiers called their Southern opponents Johnny or Johnny Reb—with Reb short for 'rebel'—so Johnny became a familiar nickname for a Confederate soldier.