cozener

English

Alternative forms

• (16th century): cosener, cosiner, cousoner, coosener, cossoner, cousener, cousenor
• (17th century): cos’ner, cosener, cosiner, couzener, coz’ner, cozoner

Etymology

From cozen (“cheat, defraud”) +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kŭʹzənər, kŭzʹnər, IPA^(key): /ˈkʌzənə/, /ˈkʌznə/

Noun

cozener (plural cozeners)

1. An imposter, a swindler.
   • 1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King Lear:

     The usurer hangs the cozener.

   • 1993, Richard Burt, Licensed by authority: Ben Jonson and the discourses of censorship:

     Yet the difference between players and cozeners was not always secure.

Related terms

• cozen
• cozenage

References

• “cozener” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]