bub

bub · noun¹

Probably imitative of the sound of drinking.

bub · noun²

Contraction of bubby.

bub · noun³

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*bō-“close [male] relation”
2. German · derived fromBub
3. Pennsylvania German · borrowed fromBub
4. English todaybub

Either a corruption of brother, a modification of bud, or a borrowing from Pennsylvania German Bub or Southern German Bub (as was spoken in various communities in America before the early 20th century), ultimately thought to be derived from Proto-Germanic *bō- (“close [male] relation”) and thus cognate to English boy and babe. Other probable cognates West Frisian bobbe, German Bube (“boy”), dialectal Swedish babbe (“little boy”), English babe, baby, and bully, Dutch boef (“mischievous lad, rascal”), Middle Low German bôve, and Icelandic bófi.

bub · noun⁴

1. Middle English · inherited frombab
2. English todaybub

Perhaps from Northern dialectal English bab, from Middle English bab, a variant of babe (“babe, baby”).

bub · noun, verb⁵

Shortened from bubble and bubbly.

Bub · proper noun⁶

1. German · borrowed fromBub
2. English todayBub

Borrowed from German Bub.

Words from the same roots