daddy en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Received-Pronunciation) audio
- /ˈdædi/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- audio -
- (General-American) audio
- dăd'i
Etymology
Etymology tree English dad Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English daddy The noun is probably derived from dad (although this word is attested later) + -y (diminutive suffix). The verb is derived from the noun.
Meanings
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(childish, informal, usually) Also used as a term of address: a father; one's father.
Says—"Carterhaugh it is mine ain; / My daddie gave it me; / I'll come and gang to Carterhaugh, / And ask nae leave o' thee."— […]
1802, “The Young Tamlane”, in Walter Scott, editor, Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border: […], volume II, Kelso, Roxburghshire: […] James Ballantyne, for T[homas] Cadell Jun. and W[illiam] Davies, […]; and sold by Manners and Miller, and A[rchibald] Constable, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Romantic Ballads), page 232:Right-o, daddy. I'll come along. When do we go over?
1920, Rose Macaulay, “Jane and Clare”, in Potterism: A Tragi-farcical Tract, London; Glasgow: W[illiam] Collins Sons & Co., →OCLC, part I (Told by R. M.), section 3, page 43:By saynt Mary, my lady, / Your mammy and your dady / Brought forth a godely babi!
1523, John Skelton, “A Ryght Delectable Tratyse vpon a Goodly Garlande or Chapelet of Laurell, […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 400, lines 973–975:[A]ll families should be positively portrayed in classroom discussions and in books and classroom displays. The goal is for children with a mommy and a daddy and children with two mommies or two daddies to get the clear message that their family is a valued and respected part of the school community.
2013, Nancy K. Freeman, Celia A[nita] Decker, John R. Decker, “Working with Families and Communities”, in Planning and Administering Early Childhood Programs, 10th edition, Boston, Mass.; Columbus, Oh.: Pearson Education, →ISBN, part III (Implementing the Children’s Program), page 338:Come to your ould daddie, you lil sandpiper.
1894 January–July, Hall Caine, chapter VIII, in The Manxman, London: William Heinemann, published 3 August 1894 (1 September 1894 printing), →OCLC, part IV (Man and Wife), page 227:But unto letters vvas I alvvays ſquinting, / So aſk’d my daddy’s leave to ſtudy Printing; […]
1790, Peter Pindar [pseudonym; John Wolcot], “A Poetical Answer to Mr. Peter Pindar‘s Benevolent Epistle to John Nichols”, in A Rowland for an Oliver; or A Poetical Answer to the Benevolent Epistle of Mr. Peter Pindar. […], London: […] G[eorge] Kearsley, […], →OCLC, page 14:Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow wow! bow wow! / Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow wow! bow wow, / I've got a little cat, / And I'm very fond of that, / But I'd rather have a bow wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.
1892, Joseph Tabrar, “Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow […]”, performed by Vesta Victoria, New York, N.Y.: T[homas] B. Harms & Co. […]; London: Francis, Day & Hunter, […], →OCLC, page 5:Jane […] could not believe that there was a fault in daddy.
1880, [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “The End of All Things”, in Just as I Am […], volume III, London: John and Robert Maxwell […], →OCLC, page 63:
- (broadly, informal) Often in the form the daddy of: the most important or influential man in a field or group; a doyen.
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(broadly, dated, informal, slang) Chiefly used as a term of address: a man who is not one's father, often but not necessarily older than oneself.
Rock ’n’ roll is cool, daddy, and you know it!
"Sal," said Dean, "I have just the girl waiting for you at this very minute—if she's off duty" (looking at his watch). "A waitress, Rita Bettencourt, fine chick, slightly hung-up on a few sexual difficulties which I've tried to straighten up and I think you can manage, you fine gone daddy you.[…]"
1957 September 5, Jack Kerouac, chapter 7, in On the Road, London: Penguin Books, published 1976, →ISBN, part 1, page 43:And yet you can neglect his Suit [for marriage], delay him, make him vvait, and torment him, devvce take ye: If ye like him, vvhy don't ye play above-board; chouſe your Old Daddy, like a good Girl, as ye ought; ſay Yes at his next putting the Queſtion, and let him fall too heartily, novv he has ſo good a Stomach.
[1709], Tho[mas] d’Urfey, The Modern Prophets: Or, New Wit for a Husband. A Comedy. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott, […], →OCLC, Act III, scene i, page 28:
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(broadly, informal) Often used as a term of address: a dominant male sexual partner.
It wasn't long after this that the very attractive Daddy-type in the harness and cap gave everyone a demonstration in the Sensual Application of Clothespins with yours truly as the model.
1988 May 7, Christopher Wittke, “It Takes Two To Tango: But 30 Makes a Great J.O. Party”, in Gay Community News, volume 15, number 40, Boston, Mass.: The Bromfield Street Educational Foundation, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 10, column 1:The guy I’ve been dating offered to do bondage with me, and I was like “Yes please, daddy.”
- (broadly, informal, qualifier:LGBTQ slang) An older masculine sexual partner, especially one who is more sexually dominant; specifically, one who prefers younger partners.
- (broadly, informal) A dominant partner in a homosexual relationship; especially one who provides protection to a more vulnerable inmate.
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(US, broadly, in early use chiefly African-American Vernacular, informal) A husband; also, a woman's (often older) male lover; (generally) a sexually attractive man; a hunk.
She's crazy 'bout her daddy / Oh, she believes in him / She loves her daddy // She's crazy like a fool / Wild about Daddy Cool / I'm crazy like a fool / Wild about Daddy Cool
1974 December – 1976 April (date recorded), Frank Farian, George Reyam, “Daddy Cool”, in Take the Heat off Me, performed by Boney M., Berlin: Hansa-Musik-Produktion, published 31 May 1976, →OCLC:She looked at me with that familiar desire / Her eyes lit up like they were on fire / She said, "My name's Flo, and you're on the right track, / But look here, daddy, I wear furs on my back, / So if you want to have fun in this man's land, / Let Lincoln and Jackson start shaking hands."
1953 May 17 – 1956 November 27 (date recorded), Renald Richard, “Greenbacks”, in Ray Charles, performed by Ray Charles, New York, N.Y.: Atlantic Records, published June 1957:
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(figuratively, informal) Often in the form old daddy: a man or an organization regarded as having the qualities of a father, especially in being in a position of authority, or outdated or paternalistic. ▸ Often in the form the daddy of: the most significant of a number of things; a perfect example.
the daddy of them all
He [Norman Mailer] was, though, absolutely the daddy of faction, his novels or journalism reporting every conflict from 1939 to Iraq and biographising Americans including John F[itzgerald] Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali and Neil Armstrong.
2007 November 11, Mark Lawson, “The king of faction”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Oct 2025:
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(figuratively, informal, slang) Often in the form old daddy: a man or an organization regarded as having the qualities of a father, especially in being in a position of authority, or outdated or paternalistic. ▸ A male juvenile delinquent in a reformatory, or a male prisoner in a prison, who dominates other inmates through threats and violence.
The daddies were the chaps of the old borstal system, leaders who had clawed their way to the top of the borstal food chain by showing gameness and the ability and willingness to inflict serious violence on their fellow detainees. Each wing had a daddy, who would rule, usually with an iron fist, and accept tribute (by way of canteen items and favours done) from other prisoners.
2015, Noel “Razor” Smith, “The Language of the Greybar Hotel”, in The Criminal Alphabet: An A–Z of Prison Slang, London: Penguin Books, published 2016, →ISBN:Throughout Scum various people—prisoners and staff—claim to be ‘in charge’ of, or ‘running’ the borstal. Pongo Banks, the established ‘daddy’, senior officer (SO) Sands—‘I run a wing—right, Carlin?’, the house master, Mr Goodyear and indeed the Governor himself all claim to be in charge. However, what is of interest is that it is clear that the staff have to use the prisoners to run the borstal and thus do not object to, or try to control the inmate subculture that produces ‘daddies’, violence, sexual assault and racism, but rather condone the brutality.
2004, David Wilson, Sean O’Sullivan, “On Being ‘the Man’: The Prison Governor”, in Images of Incarceration: Representations of Prison in Film and Television Drama, Winchester, Hampshire: Waterside Press, →ISBN, page 162:
- (figuratively, informal, obsolete, slang) Often in the form old daddy: a man or an organization regarded as having the qualities of a father, especially in being in a position of authority, or outdated or paternalistic. ▸ A man who gives away the bride at a wedding, in the absence of her actual father.
- (figuratively, informal, obsolete, slang) Often in the form old daddy: a man or an organization regarded as having the qualities of a father, especially in being in a position of authority, or outdated or paternalistic. ▸ A man in charge of a casual ward (“the section of a workhouse where itinerants and tramps could be accommodated for one night”), generally an elderly pauper.
- (figuratively, informal, obsolete, qualifier:crime, slang) Often in the form old daddy: a man or an organization regarded as having the qualities of a father, especially in being in a position of authority, or outdated or paternalistic. ▸ An accomplice selected to win the prize in a fraudulent lottery or raffle.
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(figuratively, informal, obsolete, slang) Often in the form old daddy: a man or an organization regarded as having the qualities of a father, especially in being in a position of authority, or outdated or paternalistic. ▸ A stage manager.
The stage manager is familiarly termed daddy; and an actor by profession, or a "professional," is called a pro.
[1859, [John Camden Hotten], “The History of Slang, or the Vulgar Language of Fast Life”, in A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words, […], London: John Camden Hotten, […], →OCLC, page lxxv:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| daddies | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| daddie | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
daddyism · sea-daddy · daddy-long-legs · big daddy · daddy of them all · baby-daddy · daddy hundred · daddy-oh · boo daddy · sky daddy · grand-daddy · dollar of the daddies · zaddy · who's your daddy · daddyish · daddy shower · daddy diaper party · red daddy · daddy issues · daddy stitch · stepdaddy · granddaddy · daddy-o · shadow daddy · crawdaddy · sugar daddy · nobodaddy · daddyless · daddy dom · salt daddy · skydaddy · daddykins · high-daddy · daddy's boy · hodaddy · mack daddy · baby daddy · war daddy · Splenda daddy · daddyhood · mummy daddy · daddy's girl
Relateds
Synonyms
papa bear · instance · poppy · governor · ur-type · DILF · symbol · exemplificator · case in point · pop · bona omi · Chad · quintessence · old man · beefcake · daddio · twink · Exhibit A · Pappy · stud · papaw · man-meat · pater · archetype · case · papa · stud muffin · father · baba · sire · dimber cove · da · exemplification · eponym · paradigm · dad · exemplar · pops · dada · pappaw · illustration · himbo · hunk · example · superhunk · pa · embodiment · da · pap · papa · fatherling · Father · pop · pawpaw · patriarch · lady-killer · specimen · chicken · pepaw · spunk · representative · incarnation · epitome · dada · pappy · ayr · rizzler · sample · paw · daddy · dad · peepaw · pretty boy · prototype · pa · chick magnet · dreamboat · ba · poppa · beau ideal · byspel
Translations (126)
mk тато ((informal, usually childish) father) · vi ba ((informal, usually childish) father) · pt papá ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isukki ((informal, usually childish) father) · is pabbi ((informal, usually childish) father) · ur باپ ((informal, usually childish) father) · mk тате ((informal, usually childish) father) · nan-hbl 老爸 ((informal, usually childish) father) · th พ่อ ((informal, usually childish) father) · eo paĉjo ((informal, usually childish) father) · lv papucītis ((BDSM) dominant male sexual partner) · fr papa ((informal, usually childish) father) · it babbo ((informal, usually childish) father) · tl papa ((informal, usually childish) father) · ka მამიკო ((informal, usually childish) father) · th ป๊า ((informal, usually childish) father) · nv azhéʼé ((BDSM) dominant male sexual partner) · es papaíto ((informal, usually childish) father) · vi cha ((informal, usually childish) father) · cmn 爸爸 ((informal, usually childish) father) · ka მა ((informal, usually childish) father) · nan-hbl 阿爸 ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isukki (woman’s (often older) male lover) · prs بَابَا ((informal, usually childish) father) · ckb بابە ((informal, usually childish) father) · cmn 爹 ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk tatko ((informal, usually childish) father) · ur اَبّا ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi fatsi ((informal, usually childish) father) · ru па́па ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isukki (male juvenile delinquent in a reformatory, or a male prisoner in a prison, who dominates other inmates) · cs tatínek ((informal, usually childish) father) · fa-ira بابا ((informal, usually childish) father) · nl pappa ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk tatík ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isä (man or organization regarded as having the qualities of a father) · fi isukki ((LGBTQ slang) older masculine sexual partner, especially one who is more sexually dominant) · ro tătic ((informal, usually childish) father) · tl tatay ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi iskä ((informal, usually childish) father) · ka მამა ((informal, usually childish) father) · tl itay ((informal, usually childish) father) · prs آتَه ((informal, usually childish) father) · mr बाबा ((informal, usually childish) father) · hi बाबा ((informal, usually childish) father) · ja パパ ((informal, usually childish) father) · de Vati ((informal, usually childish) father) · uk тату́сь ((informal, usually childish) father) · es papito ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi setä (man who is not one’s father, often but not necessarily older than oneself) · ckb باوکە ((informal, usually childish) father) · mh baba ((informal, usually childish) father) · ga daidí ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi faija ((informal, usually childish) father) · hi अब्बा ((informal, usually childish) father) · ga deaide ((informal, usually childish) father) · prs آتَی ((informal, usually childish) father) · bg та́тко ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isukki ((originally prison slang) dominant partner in a homosexual relationship; especially one who provides protection to a more vulnerable inmate) · et issi ((informal, usually childish) father) · ja お兄ちゃん ((BDSM) dominant male sexual partner) · pl tata ((informal, usually childish) father) · hy պապա ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isukki ((BDSM) dominant male sexual partner) · mk татко ((informal, usually childish) father) · vo fatül ((informal, usually childish) father) · ja お父さん ((informal, usually childish) father) · io patreto ((informal, usually childish) father) · la tata ((informal, usually childish) father) · da farmand ((informal, usually childish) father) · th คุณพ่อ ((informal, usually childish) father) · nv azhéʼé ((informal, usually childish) father) · gd dadaidh ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isukki (man who is not one’s father, often but not necessarily older than oneself) · nl pappie ((informal, usually childish) father) · ar بَابَا ((informal, usually childish) father) · et taat ((informal, usually childish) father) · it papà ((informal, usually childish) father) · ko 아빠 ((informal, usually childish) father) · tg дада ((informal, usually childish) father) · ur دادا ((informal, usually childish) father) · sv pappa ((informal, usually childish) father) · ur بابا ((informal, usually childish) father) · fi isi ((informal, usually childish) father) · ru ба́тюшка ((informal, usually childish) father) · sl očka ((informal, usually childish) father) · hi बापू ((informal, usually childish) father) · de Papi ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk apík ((informal, usually childish) father) · lt tėtis ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk ocko ((informal, usually childish) father) · tr baba ((informal, usually childish) father) · gd boban ((informal, usually childish) father) · pl tato ((informal, usually childish) father) · uk та́то ((informal, usually childish) father) · nl papa ((informal, usually childish) father) · th ป๋า ((informal, usually childish) father) · sa तात ((informal, usually childish) father) · ru па́почка ((informal, usually childish) father) · ko 아버지 ((informal, usually childish) father) · tg дадо ((informal, usually childish) father) · de Papa ((informal, usually childish) father) · es papito ((BDSM) dominant male sexual partner) · be та́та ((informal, usually childish) father) · vi thầy ((informal, usually childish) father) · ka მამი ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk apko ((informal, usually childish) father) · lv tētis ((informal, usually childish) father) · twf tǫ̂mʼȕ ((informal, usually childish) father) · sq babi ((informal, usually childish) father) · he אַבָּא ((informal, usually childish) father) · yo baba ((informal, usually childish) father) · nan-hbl 阿爹 ((informal, usually childish) father) · vi tía ((informal, usually childish) father) · az dədə ((informal, usually childish) father) · vi bố ((informal, usually childish) father) · pl tatuś ((informal, usually childish) father) · be ба́ця ((informal, usually childish) father) · hi पिताजी ((informal, usually childish) father) · es papá ((informal, usually childish) father) · nb pappa ((informal, usually childish) father) · ru тя́тя ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk ocinko ((informal, usually childish) father) · es papi ((BDSM) dominant male sexual partner) · nl vake ((informal, usually childish) father) · sk otecko ((informal, usually childish) father)