# Rosie

/ˈɹoʊzi/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. a cup of tea

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang · Informal

a cup of tea. This comes from the rhyming slang 'Rosie Lee'.

For teachers: a cup of tea; derived from the Cockney rhyming slang 'Rosie Lee'. The term is uncountable and often used with 'a cup of'.

- After a long walk in the rain, there is nothing better than a nice cup of Rosie.
- The old man sat by the fire, contentedly sipping a cup of Rosie while he listened to the radio.

Usage: Usually appears in the phrase 'a cup of Rosie'.

Teaching tip: This is very specific to London and older British dialects; most modern learners will only encounter it in films or books set in the UK.

### 2. female factory worker

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

a name for women who worked in factories during World War II.

For teachers: a reference to 'Rosie the Riveter', representing the American women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II.

- My grandmother was a real-life Rosie who built planes during the war.
- The cultural icon of the Rosie became a symbol of female empowerment and industrial contribution during the mid-twentieth century.

Usage: Often used as a proper noun or in historical contexts.

### 3. the name Rose

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a friendly or short name for someone named Rose or Rosemary.

For teachers: a diminutive form of the female given names Rose, Rosemary, or Rosalind.

- Everyone in the family calls her Rosie instead of Rosemary.
- Although her legal documents state her name is Rosalind, she has been known as Rosie to her colleagues for over twenty years.

Usage: Used as a nickname or a familiar form of address.

## Examples

- Would you like a nice cup of rosie?
- After a long day working in the garden, he sat down with a warm cup of rosie and the newspaper.
- While the younger generation often prefers coffee, the old man insisted that nothing could settle his nerves quite like a steaming mug of rosie.

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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.