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Glite Dictionary
real McCoy

real McCoy

6 7.7
A person or thing that is the original and not a copy
  • noun
  • /riːəl məˈkɔɪ/
translation icon : auténtico
  • This is the real McCoy.

And when I get put in those situations, people see that like, bro, I'm, I am the Real McCoy.

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Examples

  • They're the real McCoy.

    The Boost (1988)

  • Is that what you're doing or are you the real McCoy?

    From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

  • You think it's the real McCoy?

    Iowa (2005)

  • This must be the real McCoy.

    The Fighting Seabees (1944)

  • - You know for once, Clapworthy you've come up with the real McCoy.

    Come Play with Me (1977)

  • "This, buster," said Mrs. Harrison with the quiet majesty of a true first lady, "is the real McCoy."

    Fiction book (1998)

  • He's the 100% real McCoy; beware of imitations.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • This painting is the real McCoy; it was created by the famous artist himself.

  • When it comes to watches, I only buy the real McCoy to ensure quality.

  • He claims to have the real McCoy from that historic event, and I believe him.

Synonyms

real thing
vsreal McCoy
102 3.8

A thing that is not fake and is exactly as expected

is a neutral term for authenticity rather than casual speech
real stuff
vsreal McCoy
18 4.2

A thing that is original and not a fake

is the specific idea of being original rather than a broad label
the real McCoy
vsreal McCoy
  • Informal
5 7.8

The original thing and not a copy

is the same meaning but often appears without the definite article
pure quill
vsreal McCoy
9.9

Completely real and honest

is a general claim of authenticity rather than stressing completeness

Antonyms

copy
∞ 1.0

A paper or file that is the same as the original

fake
833 1.8

Not real and made to look like something real

imitation
34 3.5

A thing made to look like something real to trick people

How Authentic

real McCoy
6 7.7
fake
64 3.5
imitation
34 3.5

Surface Forms

real McCoy singular
real McCoys plural

Morphology

real + McCoy

The adjective 'real' clearly signals genuineness, but 'McCoy' is a proper name with no independent lexical meaning for learners, and the phrase is an established idiom whose origin is not transparent. Because one constituent gives a clear hint while the other is opaque, B1 learners may get a partial sense (genuineness) but cannot reliably derive the full idiomatic meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrase real McCoy may come from the inventor Elijah McCoy. He made a machine that oiled train engines so well that workers asked for the real McCoy rather than a poor copy, and that's why the saying means 'the real thing'.