zaddy

The origin of the slang word zaddy, an assibilation of daddy, is unclear. Urban Dictionary has numerous, usually similar user definitions of zaddy with the earliest going back to June 17, 2008 by a user by the name of Josette as follows: "The slang term for a really "handsome" guy who is very appealing and looks really fashionable. He has to have swag and sex appeal and look sexy and attractive",^[1] this meaning is the most common. Other published instances of the word only become more frequent around 2018 but perhaps influenced by by American rapper Ty Dolla Sign's 2016 song by the same name.^[2]

• IPA^(key): /ˈzædi/
• Rhymes: -ædi

• Audio (US):

  (file)

zaddy (plural zaddies)

1. (originally African-American Vernacular, slang) A handsome, fashionable man, especially an older man.
   • 2016, “Zaddy”, in Campaign, performed by Ty Dolla $ign:

     She keep on callin' me zaddy, that lil' baby got a fatty

   • 2023 March 18, Jo Ellison, “Have you got zaddy issues?”, in FT Weekend, page 21:

     As someone who can shoot on target, keep watch while you sleep and look smoking in a leather jacket or a sparkly, silver lurex sweater, [Pedro Pascal is] the poster boy for what the zaddy's all about.

   • 2024 August 12, May Darmon, “The Sci-Fi Rollerblades” (2:45 from the start), in Solar Opposites‎^[3], season 5, episode 6, spoken by Terry (Thomas Middleditch):

     “Wait a minute, Bradd said his dad could beat up a dad in this family. How do we know he wasn't talking about me? I'm a dad too.” [Korvo and replicants laugh] [laughter continues] “Okay, you're right. I'm more of a zaddy than a dad.” “It's true. That was good though, Terry. I really needed that. You've energized me for an ass-kicking. Well, off to hurt a stranger.”