dude

UK: djuːd | US: duːd

Definition

  1. n. 1. A man, often one perceived as stylish, confident, or slightly pretentious.

  2. n. 2. (Informal) A term of address for a person, typically male (e.g., "Hey dude!").

  3. n. 3. (Historical) A city-dweller unfamiliar with rural life (late 19th-century usage).

Structure

No data yet.

Etymology

First recorded in 1883 in U.S. slang, likely derived from "doodle" (as in "Yankee Doodle"), mocking city men who adopted exaggerated fashions. By the 1960s–70s, it evolved into a casual term for any man, later becoming gender-neutral in some contexts. Its playful, adaptable nature reflects its shift from mockery to camaraderie.

Examples

  1. "That dude just rode by on a unicycle wearing a cowboy hat."

  2. "Dude, check out this sunset!"

  3. "Back in the 1890s, ranchers laughed at dudes from New York."

  4. "She’s the coolest dude I know."

  5. "The bartender nodded, 'What’ll it be, dude?'"