bambino

American  

[bam-bee-noh, bahm-, bahm-bee-naw] / bæmˈbi noʊ, bɑm-, bɑmˈbi nɔ /

noun

plural

bambinos,

plural

bambini

1. a small child or baby.

2. an image of the infant Jesus.

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bambino British  

/ bæmˈbiːnəʊ /

noun

1. informal a young child, esp an Italian one

2. a representation of the infant Jesus

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Usage

What does bambino mean? Bambino is the Italian word for a "male child or baby." It can also be used as a nickname or term of endearment for a man more generally.

Etymology

Origin of bambino

1755–65; < Italian, equivalent to bamb ( o ) childish (perhaps originally nursery word) + -ino diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

She claims she even uses words and mannerisms such as "mamma mia", "bambino" and "si" in conversation without realising it.

From BBC • Dec. 22, 2024

Michelangelo: I’m lookin’ at your paintings and I gotta say I see no Real diff’rence from the scribbles of a one-armed bambino.

From Washington Post • Apr. 2, 2020

First, Andrea Pirlo doing the Panenka penalty on the gurning, arms-flapping, Grobbelaar-impersonating Joe Hart, a moment of beauty that was missing only the words: "Ciao, bambino".

From The Guardian • Jun. 7, 2014

Last year domestic consumption of pasta, from agnolotti to ziti, topped 4 billion lbs. -- nearly 18 lbs. for every man, woman and bambino.

From Time Magazine Archive

Was it at Naples that they called her la bambino, assistita, and thought her possessed by a spirit, and begged her to predict to them the winning numbers of the following Saturday's lottery?

From The Devourers by Chartres, Annie Vivanti