A Scottish and Northumbrian term of address or reference for a young boy or male, often affectionate. It is the diminutive of 'lad' and signals informality and warmth. The word is strongly associated with Scottish speech and can sound patronizing when used by non-Scots or in formal contexts, but within its register it is simply a fond way to address a young man.
The shopkeeper called him laddie and told him to take his football elsewhere.
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(Scotland, Northumbria) A small boy.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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