noun
General Slang
Bairn
/bɛːrn/ · noun · informal
A child or baby — used across Scotland and the northeast of England.
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Definitions
1
Specifically a baby or infant.
“She's expectin' her first bairn in the spring.”
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2
Used affectionately for someone being naive or childish regardless of age.
“Stop actin' like a wee bairn and just say sorry.”
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3
A child or young kid.
“The bairn's been greetin' aw night.”
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Bairn In A Sentence
Watch the bairns near the road, aye?
Both bairns are down for a nap, finally got a minute to masel.
He's a soft lad, cries like a bairn at every film.
Origin & Usage
From Old English 'bearn' and Old Norse 'barn' (child), kept alive in Scots and northeastern English (Geordie, Mackem) while standard English moved to 'child'.
People Also Ask
What does 'bairn' mean?
It means a child or baby. It's standard everyday vocabulary in Scotland and the northeast of England, not really slang there.
Where do people say 'bairn'?
Mostly Scotland and northeast England — Newcastle, Sunderland, and across Scots-speaking areas.
What does 'bairn' mean in texting?
Same as in speech — it just means kid or baby, e.g. 'got the bairns to school' means 'dropped the kids off'.
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