What does "toots" mean?

toots — meaning, definition & examples

n. a rude, old-fashioned name some men call a woman they do not know. You hear it in old movies when a stranger says hey, toots.

n. a condescending form of address directed at a woman, implying unwelcome familiarity. Dated in current use and widely perceived as sexist.

simple

“He calls the waitress toots and she ignores him.”

contextual

“In the old film the driver leans out the window and shouts toots at a woman crossing the street.”

complex

“The novel uses toots to show how the club owner talks down to women, calling every young waitress by the same dismissive nickname.”

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “toots” in context.

Verb

01. call toots

“He was disciplined for calling a female client toots.”

verb + noun

02. calm down, toots

“The bouncer in the period drama snaps, 'Calm down, toots,' which sounds rude and dated today.”

03. hey, toots, come here

“In the old black-and-white film, the gangster says, 'Hey, toots, come here.'”

04. listen here, toots

“'Listen here, toots,' the cab driver says in the 1940s movie, using language now seen as sexist.”

Shortened from tootsie.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.