tootsie

English

Alternative forms

• tootsy

Etymology

From tootsy-wootsy, originally a playful or nursery name for a small foot, from childish pronunciation of foot.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈtʊtsi/, [ˈtʰʊtsi]
• Rhymes: -ʊts

Noun

tootsie (plural tootsies)

1. (informal) A young woman.
2. (informal, childish) A toe.
   • 1936, Curly Howard, Three Stooges, Disorder in the Court (6:43)

     And a hoofer by the name of Buck Wing was gettin' ready to shake his tootsies!

   • 1998, Joan Budilovsky, Eve Adamson, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Massage, Penguin, →ISBN, page 216:

     Swedish massage techniques applied to your feet have reflexology effects, too, and give those tootsies the break they need.

   • 2006, James W. Brann, MD, Women's Healthcare Topics.com, Surviving the Joy of Pregnancy, James Brann →ISBN

     Swollen tootsies can be very uncomfortable, not to mention you may not like looking at them. Toes that look like sausages? That's attractive for babies, but you aren't looking at baby's tootsies.

   • 2009, Vicki Lansky, Games Babies Play: From Birth to Twelve Months, Book Peddlers, →ISBN:

     Babies are fascinated with their toes. Take advantage of this interest. Join in your baby's fun. Ten Little Tootsies (to “Ten Little Indians”) One little, two little, three little tootsies.

   • 2010, Esther Blum, Secrets of Gorgeous: Hundreds of Ways to Live Well While Living It Up, Chronicle Books, →ISBN, page 26:

     So what's a gal to do when she's rushing about town in pointy-toe stilettos with no time to rest her weary tootsies?

   • 2011, Tony Ryan, Martica Heaner, Cross-Training For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN:

     Take off your shoes and give those tootsies a break!

   • 2014, J. D. Robb, Festive in Death, →ISBN:

     You forgot your toe warmers this morning. ... Can't have my girl's tootsies cold." "Don't say aw again," Eve ordered, anticipating. "And never say tootsies. You're wearing badges, for God's sake

   • 2022 October 5, Stephen Roberts, “Bradshaw's Britain: Reading to Southampton”, in RAIL, number 967, page 57:

     Weymouth is the place for us to paddle our tootsies like George III, but first we need somewhere to stay.

3. (informal, archaic) A foot, especially that of a woman or child.

Derived terms

• toots

References

• (foot): John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary

Anagrams

• tooties