Laddy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An informal term, chiefly Scottish or Irish, for a boy or a young man
2. A casual name used in Scotland and Ireland to refer to a young male person
3. Informal and regional, used mainly in Scotland and Ireland for a lad or young fellow

Etymology: "Laddy" is simply "lad" with the diminutive-affectionate ending "-y" added, and the two parts have traveled a long way together. "Lad" came into Middle English as "ladde," probably from a Middle English word of uncertain earlier origin, and the "-y" is an Old English suffix that eventually settled into English as a way of making nouns smaller, friendlier, or more familiar. Attaching it to "lad" gives a form meaning roughly "little lad" or "fellow," the sort of thing a parent or a close friend might say. The suffix itself has a surprisingly ordinary career. Old English "-ig" passed through Middle English "-y" to become the everyday ending seen in words like "doggy" and "kitty." Because it was so productive, speakers could add it to almost any noun, which is why "laddy" sits comfortably beside so many other familiar forms.

Synonyms: laddie, lad, boy