cony Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes
    das; hyrax; dassie; coney.
  2. noun small short-eared burrowing mammal of rocky uplands of Asia and western North America
    mouse hare; rock rabbit; pika; coney.
  3. noun any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food
    rabbit; coney.

WordNet

Co"ny noun
Etymology
OE. coning, conig, coni, OF. connin, conin, connil, fr. L. cuniculus a rabbit, cony, prob. an Hispanic word.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) (a) A rabbit, esp., the European rabbit (Lepus cuniculus). (b) The chief hare. ✍ The cony of Scripture is thought to be Hyrax Syriacus, called also daman, and cherogril. See Daman.
  2. A simpleton. Obs.
    It is a most simple animal; whence are derived our usual phrases of cony and cony catcher. Diet's Dry Dinner (1599).
  3. (Zoöl.) (a) An important edible West Indian fish (Epinephelus apua); the hind of Bermuda. (b) A local name of the burbot. Eng.

Webster 1913