# Peggy

/ˈpɛɡi/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. a name

noun · CEFR B1

a common nickname for the female name Margaret.

For teachers: a traditional diminutive of the female given name Margaret, occasionally used as a formal given name in its own right.

- My grandmother's name was Margaret, but everyone called her Peggy.
- The historical records list her as Margaret, though she signed all her personal correspondence as Peggy.

### 2. cryptography placeholder

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a name used in computer science to represent the person who provides a proof.

For teachers: a conventional placeholder name for the party that supplies a proof in zero-knowledge protocols, typically paired with Victor the verifier.

- In this security example, Peggy must prove she knows the password without revealing it.
- The protocol ensures that Peggy can convince Victor of the statement's validity without disclosing any underlying cryptographic secrets.

### 3. naval steward

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang

a person who serves food and cleans for lower-ranking officers on a ship.

For teachers: a steward responsible for the petty officers' mess on a naval vessel.

- The peggy brought the tea to the officers' mess just before the meeting.
- Life as a peggy was demanding, involving long hours maintaining the mess and catering to the needs of the petty officers.

### 4. a bird

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect

a local name for a small bird like a whitethroat.

For teachers: a regional or dialectal name for several species of small warblers, particularly the whitethroat.

- We spotted a peggy nesting in the thick bushes near the garden fence.
- The local birdwatchers often referred to the common whitethroat as a peggy, a term rarely heard outside the rural northern counties.

## Examples

- Don't be such a peggy; just buy the expensive coffee for once.
- The office peggy insisted on counting every single paperclip before signing off on the supply order.
- While his colleagues celebrated the successful merger, the department peggy remained at his desk, meticulously cross-referencing the travel expenses against the original receipts to ensure total compliance.

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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.