daddy

noun

dad·​dy ˈda-dē How to pronounce daddy (audio)
plural daddies
Synonyms of daddynext
1
: father sense 1a
2
: granddaddy sense 2
3
a
slang : a male lover
b
slang : an attractive middle-aged man
c
informal : sugar daddy

Note: Early usage of the term daddy in the senses referring to a male lover and a sugar daddy has origins in African American English. Usage has since broadened in meaning and become widespread.

Synonyms of daddy

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Examples of daddy in a Sentence

I stopped calling my father “Daddy” because I thought it sounded childish. Cook's Tours can be considered the daddy of all organized travel tours.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet these survivors are so hard-wired to be fearful of their neighbors that Hig and Cima’s rusty, tentative flirtation takes place under the gaze of her daddy’s gun, a heck of a chaperone. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 At this early juncture, the O’Hare Flyer needs a Chicago train daddy, to borrow the moniker famously given to the British transit executive Andy Byford, who now is leading the overhaul of New York’s Penn Station. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 So, here’s a step-by-step itinerary that would be perfect for a daddy-daughter day, family outing, date with your significant other, or just to treat yourself. — Justin Brown, AJC.com, 16 Aug. 2026 Michael Douglas has a daddy-daughter date with Carys Zeta Douglas at the Mallorca, Land of Honor Awards on August 3. — People Staff, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for daddy

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of daddy was in 1523

Phrases Containing daddy

Rhymes for daddy

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Browse Nearby Words

daddock
daddy
daddy longlegs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Daddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daddy. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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