This idiom refers to a very long time, often with a sense of nostalgia or exaggeration, as if measured by the lifespan of a raccoon, a creature associated with rural life. It conveys an extended period of absence or inactivity, typically used in informal, folksy contexts to express rarity or delay. The phrase carries a tone of quaintness, humor, or impatience, reflecting cultural values of time’s passage and the human tendency to exaggerate duration. Its animal imagery evokes a rustic charm, resonating in casual conversations or storytelling. The idiom, though less common today due to its dated and potentially offensive origins, remains a colorful metaphor for long intervals.

The phrase originated in 19th-century America, likely in rural Southern or Appalachian communities, where ‘coon’ (raccoon) was a common term in folklore and slang. Its earliest recorded use appears in *The Knickerbocker* magazine (1840s), noting ‘in a coon’s age’ for a long absence. The idiom gained traction in American literature, particularly in Joel Chandler Harris’ *Uncle Remus* (1880), which used folksy expressions. Its spread was amplified by oral tradition and early 20th-century media, though its use declined post-1960s due to ‘coon’ being a racial slur in other contexts. Its adoption was primarily in the U.S., with limited use elsewhere, due to its regional imagery.