lad

¹

[ lad ]

noun

1. a boy or youth.
2. Informal. a familiar or affectionate term of address for a man; chap.
3. British Horseracing Informal. a stable boy.

LAD

²

abbreviation for

, Psycholinguistics.

1. language acquisition device.

lad

/ læd /

noun

1. a boy or young man
2. informal.
   a familiar form of address for any male
3. a lively or dashing man or youth (esp in the phrase a bit of a lad )
4. a young man whose behaviour is characteristic of male adolescents, esp in being rowdy, macho, or immature
5. a boy or man who looks after horses

Other Words From

• laddish adjective
• ladhood noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lad¹

1250–1300; Middle English ladde < ?; compare late Old English Ladda (nickname)

Word History and Origins

Origin of lad¹

C13 ladde; perhaps of Scandinavian origin

Example Sentences

With his Buddy Holly glasses, scruffy boho beard, floppy hair and turtleneck sweater, Adams — who is called the Big Lad — is lazily charismatic, with the precociously paternal air of a cool, or seemingly cool, assistant professor — he calls Dolours, who in real life was only two years younger, “child.”

From Los Angeles Times

"It's been a thing now which I have said for a while, I am not a young lad anymore," he added.

From BBC

"Having watched Elliot for five years from being a shy young lad who looked at his mum to help him talk, it was then amazing to watch him light up the room with his smile and humour," she said.

From BBC

"He came in at 15 years old, a really tall, gangly, skinny lad - didn't look like a footballer at all in all honesty," he says.

From BBC

He is a local lad who has had a few injury problems and has had to be patient to get his chance.

From BBC

Related Words

• fellow
• schoolboy
• youngster