Bubs

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /bʌbz/

Definitions

1. Small and often fragile globular structures, typically referring to young children or babies in a playful or affectionate manner
2. round, bulbous forms like those found in some plants or aquatic creatures
3. informal terms used to refer to friends or companions in a casual, endearing way

Etymology: "Bubs" is the plural of "bub," a word that is itself a little tangled. One proposed origin is that it imitates the sound of drinking, the noisy slurp of a child at the breast or bottle. Another treats it as a contraction of "bubby," an older informal word for a breast, which would make a baby's name a nickname drawn from feeding. Other theories are more speculative: it may be a corruption of "brother," a modification of "bud," or a term borrowed from dialects spoken in parts of America before the early twentieth century. The strongest family connections point toward the baby-words of Europe. German "Bube" means "boy," Dutch "boef" means "rascal," and English "babe," "baby," and "bully" are often grouped with it. A dialect form "bab," a variant of "babe," is also offered as a possible source, though the link is uncertain. Modern usage is affectionate and informal, applied to small children or to a group of infants addressed as a single, cosy unit.

Synonyms: babies, infants, toddlers, little ones, kids

Antonyms: adults, grown-ups, elders, seniors, parents