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Definition of charlie

charlie

/ˈtʃɑːrli/
char · lie
Plural:charlies
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charlie Lexical Profile

charlie Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A code word representing the letter C, used in radio and aviation communications from the NATO phonetic alphabet (often capitalized).

Example

"The air traffic controller instructed the pilot to taxi via runway Charlie."

2

British A foolish, naive, or inept person (informal).

Example

"He felt like a right charlie standing in the rain after locking himself out of the house."

3

A slang term for the illegal stimulant drug cocaine.

Example

"Customs officers intercepted an illicit shipment of charlie hidden inside the cargo containers."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for charlie

• Nearby Words

charles
charles river
charleston
charlie
charlies
charlotte
charm

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the masculine given name Charlie, a diminutive of Charles. The slang sense meaning 'cocaine' arose in the 1930s as an alliterative play on the letter 'C', while the NATO phonetic alphabet usage was standardized in the 1950s.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Charlie. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/charlie
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