best friend

American  

[best frend] / ˈbɛst ˈfrɛnd /

noun

1. a person’s closest or most cherished friend.

   Sheila has been my best friend since we were seven.

   Synonyms:

   bosom friend, bosom buddy, bff, bf, bestie

2. something that a person particularly depends on or has a special affection for.

   A purple, stuffed armadillo was my best friend and companion through my whole childhood.

3. something considered or suggested to be particularly useful or valuable.

   When it comes to saving for retirement, compound interest is your new best friend.

   Your local piano tuner could be your best friend when buying a piano.

---

Etymology

Origin of best friend

First recorded before 1000

Example Sentences

When Adrian Metoyer first heard government officials describing his best friend as an “active shooter” and threat to his community, he was furious.

From Los Angeles Times

In a statement released previously, Tamzin's mother Amy Hall described her eldest daughter as her "best friend" and said her death had left their family "devastated".

From BBC

At midnight, I got a text message from one of my best friends who grew up a few blocks north of me.

From Los Angeles Times

Levon White, a third-grader in Newman Lake, Wash., said he orders sushi once a month when he visits his best friend’s grandmother, who happily foots the bill.

From The Wall Street Journal

So they included that moment, just so you get to see that Mike loves him as a best friend, and they will always be friends, which was nice.

From Los Angeles Times