Dictionary.com

kiddo

[ kid-oh ]
/ ˈkɪd oʊ /

noun, plural kid·dos, kid·does.

Informal. (used as a familiar form of address.)

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Origin of kiddo

First recorded in 1880–85; kid1 + -o

Words nearby kiddo

Kidderminster, kiddie car, kiddie porn, kidding, kiddle, kiddo, Kiddush, kiddy, kideo, kid glove, kid gloves
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

VOCAB BUILDER

What does kiddo mean?

Kiddo is an informal way to refer to or address a child or a person who’s younger than the speaker. It can be used for a person of any gender.

It’s typically intended to imply familiarity or affection. It’s especially used as a familiar way to address one’s own child or grandchild.

Kiddo is most often used in greetings or friendly speech, as in Hey there, kiddo or We’ll get ’em next time, kiddo.    

Kiddo is also often used as a more informal synonym for kid, as in Grandpa is spending time with the kiddos down at the lake. 

Kiddo can sometimes be used to imply that a person is inexperienced or lacks wisdom, as in Look, kiddo, leave this one to the professionals.

Example: Are you ready for the trip to Disneyland with your dad, kiddo?

Where does kiddo come from?

The first records of the word kiddo come from the 1880s. It comes from kid, meaning “a child or young person,” and the suffix

Kiddo is an informal way to refer to or address a child or a person who’s younger than the speaker. It can be used for a person of any gender.

 

It’s typically intended to imply familiarity or affection. It’s especially used as a familiar way to address one’s own child or grandchild.

 

Kiddo is most often used in greetings or friendly speech, as in Hey there, kiddo or We’ll get ’em next time, kiddo.    

 

Kiddo is also often used as a more informal synonym for kid, as in Grandpa is spending time with the kiddos down at the lake. 

 

Kiddo can sometimes be used to imply that a person is inexperienced or lacks wisdom, as in Look, kiddo, leave this one to the professionals.


Example: Are you ready for the trip to Disneyland with your dad, kiddo?, used to make informal words such as bucko and neato.

A person called a kiddo may not actually be a young person. It is not unusual for an older person to affectionately refer to their adult child as kiddo. However, it would be considered strange or rude for a younger person to address an older person as kiddo.

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What are some other forms related to kiddo?

  • kiddos (plural)
  • kiddoes (plural)

What are some synonyms for kiddo?

What are some words that share a root or word element with kiddo? 

What are some words that often get used in discussing kiddo?

How is kiddo used in real life?

Kiddo is often used as an affectionate word for a child or young person. But it can also be used to imply a person is inexperienced.

 

 

Try using kiddo!

Is kiddo used correctly in the following sentence?

You might be small now, but just wait a few years and you’ll be taller than your old man, kiddo.

Example sentences from the Web for kiddo