α. 1600s coxcomicall, 1600s– coxcomical.
β. 1600s– coxcombical.
coxcombicaladj.
/kɒksˈkəʊmᵻkl/, /kɒksˈkɒmᵻkl/, U.S. /kɑksˈkoʊmək(ə)l/, /kɑksˈkɑmək(ə)l/ Now rare.
1. Of a person: having the traits or qualities of a coxcomb; (originally) foolish (cf. coxcomb n. 4a); (later) vain, pretentiously affected, foppish.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > fashionableness > [adjective] > dandyish
quaintc1330
skipjack1598
satin1603
coxcombly1610
prigginga1627
coxcombical1649
skipjackly1674
jessamy1696
beauish1699
foppish1699
priggish1701
Jemmy Jessamine1786
macaronian1792
buckish1806
dandy1813
dandified1826
dandyish1826
Brummellian1829
dandyic1832
dandiacal1834
squirtish1843
macaronyish1858
fine-gentlemanish1865
foppy1878
dude1879
dudish1883
fancy1891
the mind > emotion > pride > self-esteem > vanity > [adjective]
self-liking1580
self-loved1590
self-admiring1592
self-loving1593
self-liked1599
glass-gazing1608
coxcombly1610
self-admired1621
coxcombical1649
self-idolizing1649
vain1692
flashy1693
vaunty1724
coxcombic1730
self-idolized1766
narcissine1805
foofaraw1848
vanitous1900
narcissistic1915
narcistic1918
dicty1920
narcissist1934
1649 ‘Philanax Anonomous’ Oxonii Lachrymæ 3 Not farre behind him appears Dr. Wilkinson, or the two legged Crow, A great Coxcomicall Ninny, as fit to regulate an University, as able to rule his Wife.
1705 N. Rowe Biter ii. i. 21 Such a..whimsical, coxcomical..kind of a Husband.
1770 F. Burney Early Jrnls. & Lett. (1988) I. 124 His younger Brother,..conceited, talkative, coxcombical.
1853 C. Dickens Bleak House xviii. 174 He is..the most coxcombical and utterly brainless ass!
1949 Times 23 Dec. 5/4 The younger, vainer, and more coxcombical of them would no doubt be greatly flattered.
2. Of action, speech, writing, etc.: characterized by vanity, pretentious affectation, or foppishness.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > inelegance > [adjective] > affected
affected1578
affecting1597
coxcombical1723
mannered1796
manneristical1830
manneristic1837
1723 Weekly Jrnl. 11 May 1396/2 The Daily Post..I found writ in a dry, pedantick, coxcomical Style.
1844 A. W. Kinglake Eothen viii. 140 A curiously coxcombical lisp.
1861 T. A. Trollope La Beata I. iv. 76 The tirade..was only one part coxcombical to three parts satirical.
1989 Washington Post (Nexis) 3 Sept. x5 This is a wonderful epic of coxcombical comedy.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > self-esteem > vanity > [noun]
idleshipa1250
vanitya1340
self-love1539
self-liking1549
conceit1563
vainness1567
self-pridea1586
self-delight1591
self-admiration1609
self-respect1609
self-lovingnessa1628
self-idolatry1643
self-idolizing1643
selfism1731
coxcombry1745
coxcombliness1765
coxcombicality1766
coxcombery1774
narcissism1822
narcism1938
1766 J. Wesley Let. 27 Nov. (1931) V. 31 Cure him of his coxcomicality, and he may do good.
1834 H. C. Robinson Diary III. 53 Not the least of his coxcombicalities.
1845 C. G. F. Gore Story Royal Favourite II. ii. 40 The antics of his coxcombicality served only as a pretext for the genuine mirth.
coxˈcombically adv. conceitedly; pretentiously, affectedly; foppishly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > fashionableness > [adverb] > dandyishly
coxcombically1654
priggishly1721
buckishly1820
dandily1834
dandyishly1868
foppishly1876
the mind > emotion > pride > self-esteem > vanity > [adverb]
vainly1602
coxcombically1654
narcissistically1925
vanitously1939
1654 S. Ward Vindiciæ Academiarum 31 This exaltation or depression, in respect of distance, they Coxcomically have understood in respect to their virtue.
1835 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 37 434 Your creatures who prate coxcombically of belonging to the juste milieu.
1919 R. Firbank Valmouth (1982) viii. 84 A curly-pated enfant de coeur lolling coxcombically.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.1649