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Synonyms

buddy

1 American  
[buhd-ee] / ˈbʌd i /

noun

plural

buddies

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

  2. bud.

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.

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

"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

verb

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

"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

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

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.

Eyyub’s hunting buddy, Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin, was due to fly to India to meet government officials and refining executives about potential oil exports, said people familiar with the trip.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Additionally, Lucas and Coppola’s friendship frayed when the latter snatched back the directing gig for a film he had long ago promised to his buddy.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

It is not clear if Epstein's "buddy" referred to here is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Does it sound like the premise of a buddy flick?

From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026

“Hudson buddy, you have ketchup on your face.”

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.