codger

/ˈkɒd͡ʒə/

//ˈkɒd͡ʒə// noun

"codger" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“codger” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An amusingly eccentric or grumpy and usually elderly man.

Corpus desk

Index EN-codger · codger · English

codger · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for codger
PropertyValue
Headwordcodger
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒd͡ʒə/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “codger” in English

codgerranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

codger is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkɒd͡ʒə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "An amusingly eccentric or grumpy and usually elderly man.".

codger doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Possibly derived from cadger (“hawker”). Or abbreviation of coffin dodger, but this is likely to be a folk etymology. The correct English form is codger, spelled C-O-D-G-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    An amusingly eccentric or grumpy and usually elderly man.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how codger appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. ‘I haven’t been drinking your health, my codger,’ replied Mr. Squeers; ‘so you have nothing to do with that.’
  2. Now I was a forsaken codger snuffling disgracefully from a beautiful floozy's abuse.

Etymology

Possibly derived from cadger (“hawker”). Or abbreviation of coffin dodger, but this is likely to be a folk etymology.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "codger"?
"codger" is spelled C-O-D-G-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒd͡ʒə/.
What does "codger" mean?
As a noun, "codger" means: An amusingly eccentric or grumpy and usually elderly man.
How do you pronounce "codger"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "codger" is /ˈkɒd͡ʒə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "codger"?
Possibly derived from cadger (“hawker”). Or abbreviation of coffin dodger, but this is likely to be a folk etymology. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list