bubby

¹ American  

[buhb-ee] / ˈbʌb i /

noun

plural

bubbies

1. Often Bubby (used as an affectionate term of address) a young child.

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bubby ² American  

[buhb-ee, boo-bee, buhb-uh, boo-buh] / ˈbʌb i, ˈbu bi, ˈbʌb ə, ˈbu bə /

noun

Yiddish

1. a variant of bubbe.

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bubby ³ American  

[boo-bee, boob-ee, buhb-ee] / ˈbu bi, ˈbʊb i, ˈbʌb i /

noun

Older Slang.

plural

bubbies

1. a female breast.

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Etymology

Origin of bubby¹

First recorded in 1840–50; probably bubba ( def. ) (in the sense “brother”) + -y ² ( def. )

Origin of bubby²

First recorded in 1960–65; bubbe ( def. )

Origin of bubby³

First recorded in 1680–90; perhaps imitative of baby's cry or of sucking sound; boob ², booby ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

In front of photographer Sam Muller’s delicate lens, Cepeda and Aikens sipped on bubby while languidly exploring the massive house.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2023

Morse brought bubby to the left field corner, smiling his big, beastly grin.

From Washington Post • Oct. 2, 2012

"Ye'll git it, bubby," Con addressed the creature, as he stood in the cornfield—a great yellow stretch—pulling fodder, and binding the long pliant blades into bundles.

From The Mystery of Witch-Face Mountain and Other Stories by Murfree, Mary Noailles

“There used to be a bubby bush—a sweet-scented shrub—over in that corner,” Creed hesitated.

From Judith of the Cumberlands by MacGowan, Alice

"Kem on, bubby; we can't stand hyar no longer, a-wastin' the time an' a-burnin' of daylight," said the constable.

From The Young Mountaineers Short Stories by Fraser, Malcolm