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

Related Words

• fellow
• schoolboy
• youngster