bestie

American  

[bes-tee] / ˈbɛs ti /

noun

1. Informal. a person's best friend.

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Etymology

Origin of bestie

First recorded in 1990–95; best ( def. ) + -ie ( def. )

Explanation

You know that one friend who knows you better than anyone, your very closest pal? That's your bestie. The word bestie is an informal shorthand for "best friend." It's been used for decades by people describing their closest confidants, but it began appearing in dictionaries as a slang term some time after 2010. You might use bestie interchangeably with "BFF" to describe the one person you can trust completely to keep your secrets and save a seat for you on the bus no matter what.

Example Sentences

When Yan Junjie and Yun Yeyi left Chinese AI company SenseTime they were banking on a future where AI was more than a glorified search engine, and could eventually be your new work bestie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Ghislaine Maxwell compiled the birthday book, collecting sentiments from Epstein’s friends and then gifting the album to her high-rolling financier bestie.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2025

“Will & Grace” further subverted the gay bestie trope by assigning Will his own gay best friend, Sean Hayes’ Jack.

From Salon • May 29, 2025

But while Joan and Lin are a familial force to be reckoned with, Alma's relationship with her bestie Leanne is arguably the show's cornerstone.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2024

Three rows ahead sat Kekeli, at a dual desk with her bestie, Susie.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo