dude

American  

[dood, dyood] / dud, dyud /

noun

1. a man excessively concerned with his clothes, grooming, and manners.

2. Slang

   1. a fellow; chap.

   2. (a general term of address used to a man, woman, or group).

3. a person reared in a large city.

4. Western U.S. an urban Easterner who vacations on a ranch.

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interjection

1. Slang (an expression of shock, approval, sympathy, or other strong feeling).

   Dude! That's one expensive sandwich!

verb phrase

1. dude up to dress in one's fanciest, best, or most stylish clothes; dress up.

   He got all duded up to go to the dance.

dude British  

/ duːd, djuːd /

noun

1. a city dweller, esp one holidaying on a ranch

2. a dandy

3. a person: often used to any male in direct address

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Other Word Forms

• dudish adjective
• dudishly adverb

Etymology

Origin of dude

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; origin uncertain

Explanation

Dude is a slang greeting term between men, meaning "guy" or "man." For example: "Dude! So, like, what's up?" It's been popularized by movies and TV shows, and has a distinctive whiff of American West Coast hippie culture to it. In the American nineteenth century dude had another life as a term for a dandy — a particularly well-groomed and fancily-dressed young man. From this came the term of dude as meaning a big city dweller unfamiliar with the ways of the Wild West. When such types came out West to enjoy the rugged life, they stayed in "dude ranches," basically resorts or spas, not real working ranches, and the term is still around today.

Example Sentences

She has been with the show since it launched and has played a pivotal role in the host’s evolution from purveyor of dude humor to political commentator, people close to him said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Arthur is a creepy dude, a generic-looking cellphone store employee with an incomprehensible plan.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

He won some fame as a surfer dude in Amy Heckerling's 1982 hit teen flick "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

This Manscaped ad ends with a dude flushing his recently shaved chest hair down the toilet, immediately making the company a sworn enemy of plumbers and landlords nationwide.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

We all clap as Mr. Jeffries, a pretty old dude, grins as he walks to the front of the room.

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

Related Words

• buddy
• chap
• fellow