Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

donkey's years

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.02 in modern English

Syllables: don-key's years
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A long time, years and years.

British usage

Example Sentences

"Didn't you ask him how long it had been in his possession? I can't recollect that. I might have done so. Didn't he say for years and years and donkey's years?"
"With a heavy make-up, you’ll be the cutest vamp I’ve seen in donkey's years."

Etymology

1876 or earlier. Possibly chosen because donkeys can be long-lived animals. Likely directly related to donkey's ears, a less frequently used rhyming slang term for years.https://wordhistories.net/2016/06/30/donkeys-years/

Usage

British usage

Inflected Forms

donkeys' years (alternative) donkey's (alternative)

Questions

What does donkey's years mean?: A long time, years and years.
Where does donkey's years come from?: 1876 or earlier. Possibly chosen because donkeys can be long-lived animals. Likely directly related to donkey's ears, a less frequently used rhyming slang term for years.https://wordhistories.net/2016/06/30/donkeys-years/

How to pronounce donkey's years

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