Laddie is an affectionate Scottish and Irish word for a young boy or man. It's the male version of “lassie,” which means girl. A grandfather in Scotland might call his grandson “my wee laddie” (my small boy), or a ship's captain might address a young sailor as “laddie.”

The word carries warmth and friendliness. When someone calls you laddie, they're not being formal or distant. It's the kind of word used by someone who cares about you or wants to sound encouraging. In stories and movies set in Scotland or Ireland, you'll often hear characters say things like “Come along, laddie” or “Listen here, laddie.”

While laddie specifically comes from Scottish and Irish English, English speakers everywhere recognize it from books, songs, and films. It has an old-fashioned, storytelling quality to it. You might encounter it in historical novels about Scotland, in folk songs, or in movies featuring Scottish characters. Outside Scotland and Ireland, people rarely use it in everyday conversation, but it remains common there, especially in more traditional or rural areas.