# Clancy

/ˈkɫænsi/ (US) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clancy
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a person who is a member of the police. This is an old-fashioned word used mostly in the UK and Ireland.

For teachers: a slang or informal term for a police officer. Primarily British and Irish in usage; now largely considered dated or archaic.

## Examples

- The local clancy walked his beat every morning.
- In the old detective novel, the protagonist had to dodge a clancy on every street corner.
- The scriptwriter used the term clancy to evoke the specific atmosphere of 1950s London, though modern audiences might find the slang unfamiliar.

## Usage notes

- Informal and dated; typically used in a British or Irish cultural context.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.