buddy

¹

[buhd-ee]

noun

plural

buddies 

1. comrade or chum (often used as a term of address).

2. bud.

verb (used without object)

buddied, buddying 

1. to be a companion; be friendly or on intimate terms.

verb phrase

1. buddy up to,  to become friendly with or curry the favor of.

   He was buddying up to the political bosses.

2. buddy up

   1. to become friendly; be on friendly or intimate terms.

   2. to work closely together.

      to buddy up with a student from another high school.

Buddy

²

[buhd-ee]

noun

1. a male given name.

buddy

/ ˈbʌdɪ /

noun

1. Also called (as a term of address): bud. an informal word for friend

2. a volunteer who visits and gives help and support to a person suffering from AIDS

3. a volunteer who gives help and support to a person who has become disabled but is returning to work

verb

1. (intr) to act as a buddy to a person suffering from AIDS

Word History and Origins

Origin of buddy¹

1840–50, perhaps reduced form of brother

Word History and Origins

Origin of buddy¹

C19: probably a baby-talk variant (US) of _brother

Example Sentences

Todd whooped and hollered, in no small part because he had bet a Dodgers employee that his buddy would go deep.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

My daughter loved—and believed—the mythical stories Bruce would tell on stage about how his saxophonist buddy Clarence Clemons, who he dubbed “The Big Man,” joined the band.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He formed the rock trio Coupe de Villes with his buddies at USC and they made an album and played wrap parties.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Over here, buddy,” said a vendor as he flashed a business card.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He has previously pushed back at suggestions that the support amounted to a bailout for what Warren, in a statement on Thursday, dubbed the administration's "billionaire buddies".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• associate 
• chum 
• co-worker 
• companion 
• comrade 
• confidant 
• crony 
• mate 
• peer 

When To Use

What does buddy mean?

Buddy is most commonly used as an informal word for a friend.Buddy is often used as a form of address (as in Hey, buddy, I haven’t seen you in a while!) or a term of endearment (an affectionate way of referring to someone). It is sometimes shortened to bud. Buddy is primarily used in the United States.Example: We don’t get together as much as we used to, but whenever I hang out with my buddies from college it’s still like old times.