A breast; a colloquial or informal term; or a term of endearment for a younger brother or male friend.
From baby-talk, likely derived from words like 'baby' or Yiddish influence. Used informally in English-speaking communities, the exact origin is uncertain but relates to childish speech patterns.
This word shows how languages preserve baby-talk—most languages have childish words that stick around in informal speech, and English kept 'bubby' as a double-meaning term that's both silly and affectionate!
Yiddish 'bubby' (grandmother) is gendered feminine; no equivalent male diminutive with same warmth/authority balance exists in English.
Use appropriately for grandmothers; acknowledge that 'zayde' (grandfather) carries different social weight. Consider 'bubbie'/'bubbe' spellings for clarity.
["grandmother","bubbie (alternative spelling)"]
Jewish grandmothers held family knowledge and cultural transmission in diaspora communities; their role was often invisible in formal histories.
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