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Meaning & use

kiddoes or kiddos

noun·Everydayinformal

Last updated

UK/ˈkɪdəʊz ɔː ˈkɪdəʊz/
US/ˈkɪdoʊz ɔːr ˈkɪdoʊz/

Meanings

  1. nounpluralinformal

    An informal, friendly way of talking about children, or of speaking to a group of children.

    Grammar: Already plural, so it takes a plural verb: the kiddos are asleep. There is no singular "kiddo" in this group sense, though "kiddo" is used to address one person.

    Patterns

    • the kiddos
    • my kiddos
    • hey kiddos
    • the kiddos are …

    The kiddos are finally asleep, so we can talk properly.

    She brought her kiddos to the office party on Friday.

    Hey kiddos, time to wash your hands for dinner.

  2. nounsingularinformal

    A warm, informal way of addressing one child or one younger person.

    Grammar: Used like a name, usually with no article: Nice work, kiddo. The plural form used for one person is "kiddo", not "kiddos".

    Patterns

    • hey kiddo
    • nice one, kiddo
    • listen, kiddo

    Nice catch, kiddo — you're getting really good at this.

    Listen, kiddo, I need your help with something.

    Good luck out there, kiddo.

Common combinations

the kiddos
I'll pick up the kiddos from school at three.
my kiddos
My kiddos both love that cartoon.
hey kiddos
Hey kiddos, your grandma's on the phone!
the kiddos are asleep
Quiet down — the kiddos are asleep upstairs.
bring the kiddos
Feel free to bring the kiddos to the barbecue.

Synonyms and how they differ

kids
The ordinary neutral word; "kiddos" sounds warmer and more playful, and is more common in speech than in writing.
little ones
Also affectionate, but it stresses that the children are young, while "kiddos" can cover older children too.
children
The neutral, standard choice for formal writing; "kiddos" would feel out of place in a report or news article.

Word family

kid noun
An informal word for a child; also used for a young goat.
kiddo noun
The singular form, used when speaking to one person.
kiddie noun
A playful or slightly disapproving word for a small child, as in "kiddie pool".

Commonly confused: kiddoes or kiddos or kiddies? kiddoes or kiddos or kudos?

kiddoes or kiddos vs kiddies

"Kiddies" is a different playful form for small children and can sound a little mocking; "kiddos" is warmer and more neutral in tone.

kiddoes or kiddos vs kudos

"Kudos" means praise or credit and sounds almost the same; "kiddos" means children, so the two are easy to mix up in writing.

Practice

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