in a coon's age
In a very long time.
Also called a coon's age, coon's age.
Updated September 24, 2026
in a coon's age pronunciation
/in uh KOONZ ayj/
Meaning
Rural American talk for "it's been forever." "I haven't seen you in a coon's age" means a long stretch has passed. Coon here is short for raccoon, from an old notion that those critters live a long while. Same idea as "in a dog's age." Folks still hear it in Southern and country talk, though some steer clear because coon also got used as a slur.
How folks use it
- “I haven't been fishing that creek in a coon's age.”
- “We ain't had a good rain in a coon's age.”
Origin and etymology
American idiom from the mid-1800s, common in Southern and rural print. It plays on folk ideas about a raccoon's long life, and may echo older talk like "a crow's age." Early newspaper cites show up by the 1830s and 1840s.
Frequently asked questions
Does coon's age mean raccoon?
Yes. In this phrase, coon is the animal. That is separate from the later slur use of the same short word.