Rosie

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Having a healthy pink or red glow in the cheeks ; describing a situation or outlook that seems hopeful and promising
2. Flushed with a warm reddish tint, especially in the face ; optimistic about how things are likely to turn out
3. Showing a pinkish, blooming color on the skin ; full of encouraging signs suggesting a bright and favorable future

Etymology: "Rosie" is a pet form of "Rose," with the diminutive ending "-ie" tacked on, a pattern English has used for centuries to turn names and common nouns into affectionate forms. The "-ie" suffix (also spelled "-y") is attached to all sorts of words to signal familiarity or endearment, so the same process gives us "Johnnie," "Billy," or "Hanky" from "handkerchief." Because "Rose" is itself a name, "Rosie" is a nickname that can stand alone, and it is the familiar form that many people with the name Rosemary have used. Here the nickname has taken on a life of its own, with "Rosemary" being the fuller, more formal name from which it is derived.