best man

American

noun

the chief attendant of the bridegroom at a wedding.

best man British

noun

the (male) attendant of the bridegroom at a wedding

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of best man

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

best man

Swift's brother Austin Swift served as her man of honour while her new husband's brother, retired American footballer Jason Kelce, was the groom's best man.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

He is also a co-host of the popular "New Heights" podcast alongside his brother Jason, who was his best man.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

The legal feud marks a dramatic falling-out between Anderson and his longtime mentor Burkle, who was the best man at Anderson’s wedding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

At age 65, Lou served as the best man at his son’s wedding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 5, 2026

‘Please let me do the telling. Don’t you dare criticize the best man ever lived.’

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023