Sammies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Informal name for a sandwich, especially a casual packed lunch ; an old nickname for a United States soldier, particularly one serving in the First World War
2. Casual slang for sandwiches in general ; a historical nickname given to American troops, most often during the First World War
3. A colloquial term for a sandwich ; a wartime nickname for a soldier from the United States, popular in the early twentieth century

Etymology: "Sammies" is the plural of "sammie," a colloquial shortening of "sandwich" pronounced "sammich," with the diminutive suffix "-ie" added on the end. The result is a casual, slightly playful nickname, the sort of word that turns up in a lunchbox or a café order rather than in a dictionary headword. The plural form simply follows the ordinary English pattern: one "sammie," two or more "sammies." Its value lies in the spelling and sound. The "-ie" ending is the same diminutive that gives English words like "doggie" and "hankie," tacking an affectionate, informal tone onto the base word. Because "sandwich" itself is pronounced with a clipped middle, speakers reduced it further to "sammich," and the spelling "sammie" records that spoken form.

Synonyms: sandwich, sarnie