What does coze mean?
A coze is a relaxed, intimate conversation — typically a friendly, unhurried chat between two people who know each other well. The word is chiefly British and somewhat old-fashioned today, though it survives in literary and colloquial use, often appearing in phrases such as "have a coze." It carries warm connotations of comfort, familiarity, and easy companionship: a coze is not a formal discussion but a pleasant exchange of news, gossip, or reminiscence, ideally conducted over tea or by a fire. Writers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries used the word frequently to evoke domestic warmth and sociability, and it remains useful when one wants a more characterful alternative to plain words like "chat" or "talk." Though uncommon in everyday modern speech, it is instantly understood in context and lends a touch of cosy charm to descriptions of friendly conversation.
nounA quiet, intimate conversation or friendly chat between two people; a cosy talk.
- An intimate, leisurely conversation or chat between two people.
"The two old friends settled into a long coze by the fireside."
"Over tea the sisters enjoyed their usual afternoon coze."
"He dropped by for a coze about the old neighbourhood days."
Standard plural; rarely needed since the word usually refers to a single conversation.
"Their little cozes by the kitchen fire were a nightly ritual."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coze
The word "coze" arose as a back-formation from "cozy," which itself derives from the Scottish "cowsie" (comfortable), of uncertain ultimate origin. By the late eighteenth century it had come to denote the kind of comfortable, intimate conversation associated with cosiness, especially in British usage. Its history is tied closely to that adjective, and it has no widely attested cognates in other languages.
How coze is actually used
Somewhat dated and informal in register; rarely encountered outside literary or older colloquial usage. Often found in phrases like "have a coze" or "a good coze."
Easily confused with coze
"Cozy" is an adjective meaning warm and comfortable, while "coze" is a noun referring to an intimate conversation itself.