Etymology Journal ยท Y
You little stinker
Meaning
- A classic term of endearment for a child who has done something funny or cheeky. It suggests they smell slightly of trouble but are loved anyway.
Playful, loving
Used in a sentence
- You drew on the wall with crayons, you little stinker!
- I chased her around the yard and yelled come here you little stinker.
- He laughed and poked his brother calling him a little stinker.
The backstory
Calling someone a stinker likely comes from the literal smell of a child who has been playing in the dirt or causing minor chaos. It evolved into a term of fondness.
Heard in
Nationwide
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