# Johnny

/ˈdʒɑni/ (US) · /dʒˈɒni/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 2. a hospital gown

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Dialect · Informal

a simple piece of clothing that opens at the back, worn by patients in a hospital.

For teachers: a short-sleeved, loose-fitting garment that ties at the back, designed for patient access during medical examinations.

- The nurse asked him to change into a johnny before the doctor arrived.
- Patients often complain about the lack of dignity afforded by the standard hospital johnny, which frequently fails to close properly at the back.

### 3. a man or fellow

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal · Archaic

a casual way to talk about a man, often one you do not know well.

For teachers: an informal, sometimes slightly dismissive or stereotypical way to refer to a man or a specific type of person.

- He's a decent enough johnny once you get to know him.
- The old colonel was a peculiar johnny, always insisting on wearing his full dress uniform to Sunday brunch.

### 4. a name

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

a friendly or short name for a man named John.

For teachers: a diminutive form of the male given name John, frequently used for children or as a familiar nickname.

- Little Johnny was excited to start his first day of primary school.
- While he was known as John in professional circles, his family still referred to him as Johnny well into his fifties.

## Examples

- You should always use a johnny to stay safe.
- The health clinic provides free johnnies and advice on sexual health to all local students.
- While the clinical term is preferred in medical literature, the term johnny remains a common colloquialism in informal British English when discussing contraception.

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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.