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• buddy
  buddy

  noun

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

  noun

  a male given name.

buddy

¹ American  

[buhd-ee] / ˈbʌd i /

noun

plural

buddies

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

2. bud.

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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 American  

[buhd-ee] / ˈbʌd i /

noun

1. a male given name.

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buddy British  

/ 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

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verb

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

Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of buddy

1840–50, perhaps reduced form of brother

Explanation

A buddy is a good friend. Your best buddy in elementary school may still be a good buddy when you graduate from high school. If you love to hang out with a certain friend, she's your buddy. You could also call her your pal or your chum. Sometimes when kids are new in school, a teacher will ask another student to be their buddy — to help them feel comfortable and welcome. The word first appeared in the mid-19th century in the US, either as slang for brother or from the British butty, or "companion."

Example Sentences

Buddy Guy, a blues guitarist who played an older version of Caton’s character, took the stage alongside “Sinners” actors Jayme Lawson and Li Jun Li.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

Late Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors seemed to fill their desire for a big man by trading with Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis, sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks according to multiple reports.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Buddy, this is CNN, not an Xbox headset.

From Slate • Jan. 10, 2026

Apple’s AI-powered Workout Buddy provides motivational audio feedback during workouts, tracking milestones and offering encouragement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026

The second-eldest child, Buddy, was what is known in campus-catalogue parlance as “writer-in-residence” at a girls’ junior college in upper New York State.

From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger

Related Words

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