English word origin

Etymology of coax

Originally (1586) in the slang phrase to make a coax of, from earlier noun coax, cox, cokes "fool, simpleton", itself of obscure origin, perhaps related to cock (“male bird, pert boy”). The modern spelling is from 1706.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

verb

To fondle, kid, pet, tease. · To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something. · To carefully manipulate (someone or something) into a particular desired state, situation or position.

noun

A simpleton; a dupe.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "cox",
      "cox#English"
    ],
    [
      "cokes",
      "cokes#English"
    ],
    [
      "cock",
      "cock#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To fondle, kid, pet, tease.",
        "To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something.",
        "To carefully manipulate (someone or something) into a particular desired state, situation or position."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "abd83bb19cbdf9f741bb3f35dd22942c24c0ccd05b0d9d4149bcf5a7bc6b095b",
      "rawRecordSha256": "f0d031182c3130d041a8f5d06956045fb1461797233f4baaedc1545bc045d5b6",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 282079
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A simpleton; a dupe."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "cc1ef8cf5d8ae7803522a35481605ad6508436e036d4bbfe8947f07f2a51fa45",
      "rawRecordSha256": "99fd9c04419ffebcabdefb6a922d07a265cfabcd702a6855a97367ec4fe713b2",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 282080
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Clipping of coaxial cable.

adj

Clipping of coaxial.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Shortened from coaxial

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "coaxial",
      "coaxial"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Clipping of coaxial cable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "clipping",
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "8fd9b034c6c0a3512e3afd9341dcd3347ec758515de09c950f9bc2249b2d4020",
      "rawRecordSha256": "cad1bc7af5a3b745734a85e3b1db2b7f318097a5f1fcc02a3c5d8f405134af7e",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 282081
    },
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Clipping of coaxial."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "clipping",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "recordId": "ceab6db781c4ccda6b32d9c6885e6900310efef95b3966e3c46d862230dea4ba",
      "rawRecordSha256": "0f7c0336205901400f05bba40be558b0d63bf835d59271256b8467e63efdba26",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 282082
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for coax →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Y29heA