crony

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹoʊni/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹəʊni/

• Audio (Southern England)

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• Rhymes: -əʊni

Coined between 1655 and 1665 from Ancient Greek χρόνιος (khrónios, “perennial, long-lasting”) (English chrono- (“time”),[1] initially as Cambridge University slang,[2][3][4][5] in sense of “chum”, as “friend of long standing”,[6] with illegal connotation later.[7]

Early spellings included chrony, as in 1665 diary by Samuel Pepys,[6] supporting the Greek origin.

crony (plural cronies)

1. (informal, originally Cambridge University) A close friend.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:friend

   Antonym: noncrony

   • 1819 June 23​, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “Rip Van Winkle”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […], OCLC 1090970992, page 91:

     Rip now resumed his old walks and habits; he soon found many of his former cronies, though all rather the worse for the wear and tear of time; and preferred making friends among the rising generation, with whom he soon grew into great favour.

2. (informal) A trusted companion or partner in a criminal organization.

• chrony (obsolete)

• cronyism
• cronynomics
• crony capitalism
• noncrony
• Tony crony

crony (plural cronies)

1. (obsolete) An old woman; a crone.
   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 54573970:

     Marry not an old crony.

• Conry, corny, croyn, cry on