sonny boy
11
8.2
- noun
- /ˈsʌni bɔɪ/
- Archaic
:
hijito
- Hey, there, sonny boy! How was your day at school?
- thank you, sonny boy
- sonny boy, get moving
- tell me, sonny boy
Examples
-
Sonny boy, can your father give you a piece of his personal advice?
Fiction book (1992) -
Now put on your coat and get moving, sonny boy.
Fiction book (1999) -
You keep out of this, sonny boy!
-
- Hey, there, sonny boy.
-
Just remember, sonny boy-- fast and friendly.
-
"Get it under control, sonny boy."
Fiction book (1995) -
Good luck with that, Sonny boy!
Blog text (3) -
No, sonny boy, I'm afraid not.
-
I promise you, sonny boy, you could go to the ends of the earth and you still couldn't improve on it.
Fiction book (1992) -
Sonny boy, can you find it in your heart of hearts to wipe the slate clean?
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
618
1.1
People use it for a boy or young man when they speak in a friendly way
145
7.2
A friendly, informal way to call a child or young person
16
8.6
A friendly name for a boy or young man often used in Scotland
6
8.5
A loving name for a young boy or brother
5
9.1
A friendly name people use when speaking to a boy or young man
4
9.5
A friendly word for a man or boy
2
9.9
A friendly word people use for a boy or young man
1
9.9
A friendly informal word from Ireland and Wales for a boy or man
1
9.9
A young boy people call in a warm, friendly way in Jewish families
A small boy people call in a friendly, playful way
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an affectionate term for a young boy' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'sonny' (informal term for a boy) with 'boy' — the components make the overall sense obvious rather than idiomatic. This diminutive/familiar address pattern is common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand it.
Etymology
The address sonny boy may come from older speakers saying sonny meaning 'little son' and adding boy to show warmth. Imagine an older person kindly saying 'sonny boy' to a child, and that's why it is used as a friendly, affectionate name for a young boy.