Is bubby a bad word?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok 2nd gen immigrant here and can someone explain the word bubby? I too though it referred to breasts. And yet I've heard people call their grandmother bubby. I've heard people refer to their brothers that way (as in -- that's my bubby). Which is it??

Yes, “bubby” is a term for a grandmother. I’m wondering if OP meant to type “boobie”.

And brothers would be "buddies." This is more a spelling issue- likely the OP was not sure how to write out in English the word his or her son said.

OP, do you have an English speaking friend or neighbor whom you could ask about this? It would probably be easier to say what the boy said, rather than having to try to spell an unfamiliar word.

I have asked one American friend, she said that it was ok. Moreover, prior to writing this post I looked up on the dictionary. I have not misspelled the word according the Merriam-Webster entry for "Bubbies".

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bubbies

Bubbies may well technically be a slang term for breasts, but it's not one that many people will have ever heard of or connect with the idea of breasts.

Boobies, however, is an incredibly common slang term for breasts, and virtually any native English speaker at or above elementary school age is likely to recognize it as an informal and mildly naughty term for breasts.

[Anonymous]

I had not heard this term used for female anatomy in modern usage, but you learn something every day, I guess.

That said, I teach my kids to use the correct terms for parts of the body. And such terms are not "bad words," although we also teach them that they may not be appropriate for every situation (the "potty words belong in the bathroom" approach).