Poppa
/ˈpɑː.pə/noun
An informal or affectionate word for one’s father.
Did you know?“Poppa” is a later English variant of “papa,” whose repeated syllable likely arose from early child-language and spread into adult speech across many languages.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient child-language
Nursery form
pa / papa
“An early, easily pronounced form used for a father or male caregiver”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πάππας (pappas)
“Father; also used as a respectful title for an older man”
Late Latin
Latin
pappa
“Father or daddy, a nursery-style form”
11th Century
Old English / Medieval Latin
papa
“A respectful title for a bishop or the pope; also a familiar term for father”
16th Century
English
papa
“An affectionate or familiar word for father”
19th Century
English
poppa
“A colloquial spelling and pronunciation of papa, especially in American English”
Modern English
English
poppa
“An informal or affectionate term for one’s father”