daddy
Americannoun
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Informal. a diminutive of dad.
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Slang. sugar daddy.
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Slang. an affectionate or familiar term of address to a boyfriend or male romantic partner, especially if he is older.
verb (used with object)
idioms
noun
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an informal word for father
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slang the supreme or finest example
the daddy of them all
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slang the dominant male in a group; boss; top man
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of daddy
Explanation
Daddy is an affectionate nickname for your father. For many babies, daddy is one of the earliest words they learn to speak. Many young children call their fathers daddy, and the word is believed to come from baby talk, or the initial sounds — da da — that a baby or toddler tends to make when she's first learning to speak. It's less common for a grown person to call her dad daddy, although some people use the childish nickname throughout their lives.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I think there’s definitely a wish to provide for his mother, and to be the daddy of Team Green,” actor Ewan Mitchell said, referring to a fan name for his family’s faction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026
In the end, Lachlan received the long-sought kiss from daddy while James discovered, through an assortment of leaks, how much his mother and father couldn’t stomach him.
From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026
Its tender story of daddy issues, sibling love and how streaming is ruining traditional cinema is totally relatable.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
The Secretary General of Nato Mark Rutte, referred to him, bizarrely, as "daddy".
From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026
Here was another chance to prove myself, to show Aunt Kitty that I was made of good stuff—despite what she thought about my daddy.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
