johnny
- 01 C1 Advanced
a simple piece of clothing that opens at the back, worn by patients in a hospital.
a short-sleeved, loose-fitting garment that ties at the back, designed for patient access during medical examinations.
Simple“The nurse asked him to change into a johnny before the doctor arrived.”
In context“Patients often complain about the lack of dignity afforded by the standard hospital johnny, which frequently fails to close properly at the back.”
Synonymshospital gowngown - 02 C2 Proficiency
a casual way to talk about a man, often one you do not know well.
an informal, sometimes slightly dismissive or stereotypical way to refer to a man or a specific type of person.
Simple“He's a decent enough johnny once you get to know him.”
In context“The old colonel was a peculiar johnny, always insisting on wearing his full dress uniform to Sunday brunch.”
- 03 A1 Beginner
a friendly or short name for a man named John.
a diminutive form of the male given name John, frequently used for children or as a familiar nickname.
Simple“Little Johnny was excited to start his first day of primary school.”
In context“While he was known as John in professional circles, his family still referred to him as Johnny well into his fifties.”
Synonymsjohnjack
From John + -y. In the sense of an Englishman, compare John Bull.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.