different between cubby vs bubby

English

Etymology

From Middle English cub (“stall”). Cognate with French cagibi.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /k?bi/
• Rhymes: -?bi

Noun

cubby (plural cubbies)

1. A small, confined space.
2. A cell in a shelf for storing items, particularly in a school.

Derived terms

• cubbyhole, cubby hole
• cubby house

English

Etymology 1

Perhaps from dialectal German Bübbi (“teat”) (perhaps specifically via Pennsylvania German). Some older references connected the word to French poupe, but this is considered "very doubtful" by the OED. Compare Latin p?pa (“little girl”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?bubi/, /?b?bi/, /?b?bi/
• Rhymes: -?bi

Noun

bubby (plural bubbies)

1. (slang) A woman's breast.

   Synonym: bub

Derived terms

• booby

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:breasts

Descendants

• ? Spanish: bubi

Etymology 2

Perhaps from brother, as pronounced by young children who are not yet able to properly pronounce its complex consonants, but alternatively perhaps from Pennsylvania German; see bub. Compare sissy.

Pronunciation

Noun

bubby (plural bubbies)

1. (childish) Familiar term of address for a boy; bub; bubba.

Etymology 3

Variant spelling. (From Yiddish.)

Noun

bubby

1. Alternative spelling of bubbe (“grandmother”)

References