guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (2024)

guinea n.1

[18C guinea, a black. The original guineas were black slaves from the Guinea Coast of Africa, and the term gradually evolved to mean anyone with a notably dark complexion, although it is rarely if ever used to describe a black person in 20C+ other than in the SE Guinea Negro, a mixed-race group native to Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, who call themselves Our People or Melungeons]
(US)

1. (also ghini, ghinny, gin, ginee, ginney, ginny, guin, guiney, guinney, guinny, guiny, guinzo, guinzola) an Italian person, usu. an immigrant to the US.

Show quotations
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (1)N.Y. Daily Trib. 17 July 8/1: The ‘Hoodlum’ of New-York, with his senses deadened to the beauty of the Latin tongue and the mellow Neapolitan accent, has bestowed upon the races that use it with such volubility the names of ‘Guineas’ and ‘Dagoes.’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (2)Dead Bird (Sydney) 31 Aug. 2/2: Characters: Australianised Italian and fresh cop. Cop: [...] Anything happened round here to-night, Ginny?
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (3)Harper’s Weekly 16 Oct. 817: The lower ‘sporting’ elements in the poorer quarter of New York call them ‘Guineas’ and ‘Dagoes’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (4)E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden Explains 203: She come up here from Cherry Hill and took up with a Guinny here in Mulberry Bend. [...] Some of the Italian men scowled at the word ‘Guinny’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (5)E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden and Mr Paul 40: Naples, a guinney district where de street-sweepers come from.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (6)J.A. Riis Battle with the Slum 314: Complaint had been made that there were too many ‘Ginnies’ in the Gio flat.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (7)M. Kelly Little Citizens 204: I know where we can hook a banana. And the Ginney’s asleep.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (8)‘O. Henry’ ‘The Coming-Out of Maggie’ in Four Million (1915) 80: I knew he was a Guinea. His name’s Tony Spinelli.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (9)K. McGaffey Sorrows of a Show Girl Ch. ii: She had to have Wilbur [...] go out and put a bug on the Ginny before she would allow the flag to drop.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (10)G. Bronson-Howard God’s Man 147: If I’d been born a Hunky or a Ginny, or even a Yiddisher boy – but Irish – ! – !
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (11)E. Poole Harbor (1919) 314: I am an Italian man! You call me Guinney, Dago, Wop.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (12)J. Lait ‘Canada Kid’ in Beef, Iron and Wine 1917 172: Well, whaddaye know about dat dere stingy Guinea, huh?
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (13)E. O’Neill Hairy Ape 25: De Black Hand, dey’re a lot of yellow backstickin’ Ginees.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (14)G.H. Mullin Adventures of a Scholar Tramp 125: Guineas! The bunk-car stunk.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (15)C. Coe Hooch! 243: That little ginney over there.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (16)D. Runyon ‘Gentlemen, the King!’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 180: A bomb such as these Guineas like to chuck at people they don’t like.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (17)J.T. Farrell Gas-House McGinty 56: Still living out there in Cicero with the Ginnies and foreigners, huh, Willie?
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (18)E. Anderson Hungry Men 90: You go to hell, you goddamned guiney.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (19)J. Weidman I Can Get It For You Wholesale 291: ‘Try to remember my face is covered with skin,’ I told the ginney, ‘not asphalt.’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (20)E. O’Neill Iceman Cometh Act I: Jees, I’ll bet he’d give yuh an awful beatin’, [...] Ginnies got awful tempers. [Ibid.] Act II: A dirty little Ginny pimp, dat’s what!
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (21)E. Pyle Here Is Your War (1945) 182: All men in the outfit were instructed to refer to Italians as ‘Guineas’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (22)Goldin et al. DAUL 81/1: Ginney. An Italian [...] Ginzola. (also Ginzo). A ginney. [Ibid.] 87/2: Guin [...] Guinea. Guinzola. (also Guinzo). An Italian.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (23)J. Jones From Here to Eternity (1998) 567: Wops, and Spiks, and [...] Guinies, and nigg*rs, no got the heart.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (24)B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 119: The Irish and Italians — the Micks and the Guineas.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (25)Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 801: ginny – An Italian.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (26)H. Selby Jr Last Exit to Brooklyn 170: I’ll wait until after that big-co*cked guinea has f*cked me.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (27)M. Puzo Godfather 240: He was a big man [...] Not the usual greasy dark guinzo husband but crew-cut blond. [Ibid.] 240: She was getting dressed up in the real New York City guinzo style.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (28)E. Tidyman Shaft 114: All you got to do is put yourself in some crazy guinea’s head.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (29)(con. 1960s) R. Price ‘Big Playground’ in Antaeus Aut. 36: Wanderers—Mixed 27 Pharoahs—Ginny 28 Ducky Boys—Irish 42.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (30)(con. 1960s) R. Price Wanderers 2: Wanderers (ginny) 27 Pharoahs (ginny) 28 Rays (irish).
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (31)R. Price Blood Brothers 230: Them guinzos is thick as thieves.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (32)(con. 1949) J.G. Dunne True Confessions (1979) 28: Here was one ginney getting his glass blown [...] and another ginney comes in and gives him three in the pump.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (33)J. Sayles Union Dues (1978) 26: Stupid f*ckin ghinny.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (34)R. Price Breaks 61: Three P.R.’s and a disco Ginny.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (35)M. La Sorte La Merica (2003) 138: an Italian was not an Italian. He was a wop, dago, duke, gin, tally, ghini, macaroni or spaghetti or spaghetti bender. He was also Hey Boy or Hey Youse, or he was given a generic name: Joe, Pete, Tony, Carlo, Dino, Gumba.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (36)(con. 1970s) J. Pistone Donnie Brasco (2006) 322: ‘A f*cking New York guinea, aren’t you?’ ‘Well, I am from New York and I am Italian.’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (37)T. Fontana and S. Jablonski ‘Ancient Tribes’ Oz ser. 2 ep. 2 [TV script] Scibetta? Why you giving that guinea my job?
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (38) ‘Sally Forth’ [comic strip] ‘You’re like a guinea pig in my experiment.’ ‘Say! That’s not very nice! Besides, I’m not even Italian!’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (39)(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny p*rno 28: I had half a dozen guys as tough as you I’d be one happy guinea.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (40)D. Winslow The Force [ebook] The slick guinea has saved Malone’s life more times than he can count.

2. a derog. term for various other non-Anglo nationalities, usu. Mediterranean, e.g. a Greek, a Portuguese, a Jew.

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See Also
bitter about losing in slang
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (41) ‘Plunder Creek’ in Bentley’s Misc. Feb. 127: [to a negro] You tarnation Guinea-crow.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (42)Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 39: guinea [...] Europeans generally.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (43)see sense 1.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (44)I. Wolfert Tucker’s People (1944) 8: It had said in the paper Leo’s brother was ‘Guinea Joe’ Minch.

3. (US Und.) a woman.

Show quotations
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (45)F.H. Tillotson How I Became a Detective 88: A ‘guinea’ or ‘Bowser’ is a woman.

4. (also ginney) a foolish, gullible or insignificant man.

Show quotations
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (46)Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 39: guinea [...] In the sense of a man it is synonymous with ‘gazab’ ‘gink,’ ‘mark’.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (47)C.B. Booth ‘Mr Clacksworthy Within the Law’ Detective Story 13 Aug. 🌐 You ain’t tryin’ to tell me that a wise guinea like old Denton is handin’ out any fifty-thousand-dollar checks.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (48)A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 45/2: Ginney, a no-account man; a moron.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (49)Baker et al. CUSS 131: Guinea A small or insignificant person.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (50)H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 77: Guys who beat up the wrong guinea.

5. a Japanese person, a Pacific native.

Show quotations
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (51)D.W. Hamilton ‘Pacific War Lang.’ in AS XXII:1 Feb. 55: guineas. Same as gooks.

6. (also ginny) a groom in a horseracing stable [US grooms were often of Italian immigrant origins].

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guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (52) in Lethbridge Herald (Alberta) 22 Mar. 14/4: A groom is a ginny or a swipe.

7. the Italian language.

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guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (53)A. Kahn Brownstone 78: An American’s out of place. Jew talk and guinea, that’s all you hear at the yard.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (54)(con. 1960s) R. Price Wanderers 157: Boo-Boo [...] gave Perry crossed forearms, guinea for f*ck you.

In phrases

get someone’s guinea up (v.)

to make someone angry.

Show quotations
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (55)J. Lait Put on the Spot 39: Now they manhandle Annie an’ toss her in the clink. It gets my Guinea up.
guinea, n.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang (2024)
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