bambino

[ bam-bee-noh, bahm-; Italian bahm-bee-naw ]

noun

, plural bam·bi·nos, Italian, bam·bi·ni [bahm-, bee, -nee].

1. a small child or baby.
2. an image of the infant Jesus.

bambino

/ bæmˈbiːnəʊ /

noun

1. informal.
   a young child, esp an Italian one
2. a representation of the infant Jesus

Word History and Origins

Origin of bambino¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bambino¹

C18: from Italian

Example Sentences

Mr. Adler hesitated and a woman burst into the room screaming: “bambini, bambini” — “children, children” — and two girls and a boy popped out of what turned out to be a cradle.

From New York Times

“She ran out in front of the guns, screaming bambino, bambino, bambino,” he said.

From New York Times

While the bambinos frolic in the kiddie pool, adults can relax in hot tubs and visit the poolside bar for cocktails, lunch or light dinner snacks.

From Washington Times

The Crowd Mostly adult; children can order from the “bambini” menu.

From New York Times

And so off they go, the young men and women and the young families and the little bambini, leaving the old peoples behind to bend for themselves.

From Literature

More About Bambino

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.

Where does bambino come from?

Bambino means “little child” or “baby” in Italian. It is used to refer to boys, with bambina its female counterpart. Bambinos or bambini can refer to a group of children or babies.

Fun facts: the Italian bambino is a diminutive form of bambo, meaning “silly,” and bimbo comes from bambino. It’s first recorded in English in the 1760s, when it especially referred to the Christ Child, or Baby Jesus.

Bambino was popularized in the U.S. thanks to George Herman Ruth, Jr., better known as Babe Ruth, the baseball player often considered the greatest of all time. While he wasn’t Italian himself, Babe Ruth played in New York in the 1920–30s, home to many Italian immigrants at the time. They nicknamed him The Great Bambino, bambino calling up babe. The Boston Red Sox were also hexed with The Curse of the Bambino after Ruth was sold by the team in 1919–20. Fans jokingly blamed the Red Sox 86-year World Series drought on the curse.

How is bambino used in real life?

Bambino is used when talking about male children and babies, especially by Italians and people of Italian heritage in places like New York City.

Finally done with my bambino’s portrait🕺🏻🤸🏼‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/TIw7juZOvT

— M.O.A EP (@djvitoto) May 8, 2018

Just left the hospital — both myself & 8 yr old tested for flu & my bambino also has pneumonia. Send healing vibes plzzzz ✌

— BossLadyRae (@BossLadyRaeRae) December 18, 2017

English speakers may also use bambino as a term of endearment for a male friend …

You played pretty alright my bambino

— Rosendo Fuentes (@Send0o) October 10, 2018

Six Flags with my bambino. 🤕❤️ pic.twitter.com/ueHnWEev38

— kevin (@kevinalvarez100) April 26, 2017

It can also work as a pet name for a significant other, similar to baby.

More examples of bambino:

“The girls in the neighborhood would say ‘Sonny Pacino, the lover bambino.’ The boys would say, ‘Sonny Pacino, the bastard bambino.”
—Ken Lipper quoted by Yahoo! Entertainment, September 2014

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.