bambino

Bambino is an Italian masculine noun meaning child or baby. The feminine form is bambina, and the plural is bambini for mixed or male children, with bambine used for groups of girls. The term uses the diminutive suffix -ino, a common way to form affectionate or small-scale nouns in Italian.

In everyday Italian, bambino refers to a young child, typically a toddler or school-age child. It can also be used as a term of endearment for a child or young person. In religious contexts, it can specifically denote the Child Jesus, as in phrases such as Bambino Gesù, or Infant Jesus.

In English-language contexts, The Bambino has been used as a nickname for the baseball star Babe Ruth, especially during his early career with the Boston Red Sox and later with the New York Yankees, reflecting his fame and the era’s style of sports reporting.

The term also appears in Italian devotional and cultural references, such as Bambino di Praga for the Infant Jesus of Prague, a famous statue and object of devotion. Beyond religious and sports usage, bambino appears in various Italian titles and expressions that refer to young children or themes of infancy.

Overall, bambino functions as a standard Italian noun for a child, with wide use in everyday language, religious terminology, and occasional cross-language cultural references.