An informal, often affectionate term for a young man or boy, especially common in Irish English.
From Irish English, combining 'boy' with the diminutive or familiar suffix '-o' (Irish '-ó'). Common in Irish and British dialects by the 1800s.
The '-o' suffix shows how English speakers borrowed Irish speech patterns—it's similar to how Spanish adds '-ito' or '-illo' for affection or informality, proving languages influence each other through contact!
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