Cuddlebug
/ˈkʌd.əl.bʌɡ/noun
A playful term for a person or animal that likes to cuddle.
Did you know?The second half, bug, comes from a long English history of naming fears, obsessions, and tiny creatures with the same word—so this cozy nickname is built from a word family that once carried very different emotional weight.
Etymological Timeline
Late 19th Century
English
cuddlebug
“A person who loves cuddling; an affectionate nickname.”
Old English
English
bugge
“A frightening creature, bugbear, or goblin-like apparition.”
Middle English
English
bugge
“A hobgoblin or specter used to frighten children.”
16th-17th Century
English
bug
“A small insect; later also a creepy or troublesome creature.”
Modern English
English
bug
“An insect, a hidden defect, or an obsession/infection in informal use.”