sonny

¹

[ suhn-ee ]

noun

1. little son (often used as a familiar term of address to a boy).
2. (used as a term of direct address to express contempt, derision, etc.):

   No, sonny, you can't park there!

Sonny

²

[ suhn-ee ]

noun

1. a male given name.

sonny

/ ˈsʌnɪ /

noun

1. a familiar or patronizing term of address to a boy or man

Word History and Origins

Origin of sonny¹

First recorded in 1840–50; son + -y ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of sonny¹

C19: from son + -y ²

Example Sentences

“So I say, ‘Well sonny boy, when I came to Mexico, you were this high, and I was cooking with your grandmothers.’

From Los Angeles Times

“He found it right here in my own little shop! Somebody call the newspapers quick and let them know! Watch out now, sonny! Don’t tear it as you unwrap it! That thing’s precious!”

From Literature

We've seen plenty heartbreaking, gut wrenching misses in our day, sonny boy.

From Golf Digest

It’s not like, ‘Hey get off my lawn, and baseball was better when I was a kid, sonny.’

From Los Angeles Times

“Don’t you hurry me, sonny, you hurry a miracle man, you get rotten miracles, that what you want?”

From Literature

Related Words

• boy
• child
• girl
• juvenile
• kid
• pupil
• student
• teenager
• youth