ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gregory

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɡɹɛɡɝi// gre·go·ry Slang

n. a person's neck. This is a very specific type of British slang where a name is used to mean something else because it rhymes.

n. a person's neck. Derived from Cockney rhyming slang 'Gregory Peck', it is used almost exclusively in informal British English.


SIMPLE

He wrapped a warm scarf around his Gregory.

CONTEXTUAL

The old man complained about a stiff Gregory after sleeping in an uncomfortable chair all afternoon.

COMPLEX

While standard English would suffice, the speaker chose to use 'Gregory' to signal his cultural roots and familiarity with traditional London street slang.

Origin

Via Latin Grēgorius, from post-classical Ancient Greek Γρηγόριος (Grēgórios, “watchful, vigilant”), from Ancient Greek ἐγείρω (egeírō, “awaken, arouse”).

Usage

Typically used with a possessive adjective like 'my' or 'his'.

© 2026 English Reference