[Idiom] REAL MCCOY. - Understanding Authenticity in Everyday Terms

Genuine or authentic.

'Real McCoy' refers to something that is genuinely authentic and of high quality. The phrase originated from a story about Elijah McCoy's oil-drip cup invention for steam engines. Many inferior copies emerged, but none matched McCoy's in effectiveness, thus birthing the phrase. Nowadays, when people refer to something as the 'Real McCoy,' they mean it is the real thing, not an imitation or counterfeit, ensuring the buyer or observer of its legitimacy and quality.

Example Sentences

1. This handmade dress is the real McCoy.

   This dress is an authentic handmade item.

2. After looking at numerous knock-offs, he finally bought the real McCoy of the designer's shoes.

   He finally purchased authentic designer shoes after seeing many fakes.

3. That old coin collector sold him the real McCoy, an authentic gold doubloon from the 18th century.

   The coin sold was an authentic historical item.