buddy
noun
comrade or chum (often used as a term of address).
buddy
1 American
[buhd-ee]
/ ˈbʌd i /
verb (used without object)
buddies,
present (3rd person singular)
buddied,
past participle, past
buddying
present participle
verb phrase
-
buddy up to to become friendly with or curry the favor of.
He was buddying up to the political bosses.
-
buddy up
-
to become friendly; be on friendly or intimate terms.
-
to work closely together.
to buddy up with a student from another high school.
-
Buddy
2
American
[buhd-ee]
/ ˈbʌd i /
noun
buddy
British
/ ˈbʌdɪ /
noun
-
Also called (as a term of address): bud. an informal word for friend
-
a volunteer who visits and gives help and support to a person suffering from AIDS
-
a volunteer who gives help and support to a person who has become disabled but is returning to work
verb
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.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
buddysimple
-
buddiessimple
-
have buddiedperfect
-
has buddiedperfect
-
am buddyingprogressive
-
are buddyingprogressive
-
is buddyingprogressive
-
have been buddyingperfect progressive
-
has been buddyingperfect progressive
Past
-
buddiedsimple
-
had buddiedperfect
-
was buddyingprogressive
-
were buddyingprogressive
-
had been buddyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of buddy
1840–50, perhaps reduced form of brother
Explanation
A buddy is a good friend. Your best buddy in elementary school may still be a good buddy when you graduate from high school. If you love to hang out with a certain friend, she's your buddy. You could also call her your pal or your chum. Sometimes when kids are new in school, a teacher will ask another student to be their buddy — to help them feel comfortable and welcome. The word first appeared in the mid-19th century in the US, either as slang for brother or from the British butty, or "companion."
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.
As Loudoun County’s chief of economic development, Buddy Rizer, put it, data centers are “a perfect industry” because they generate significant revenue without placing heavy demands on public services.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
Plus, long-haul flights are less affected by fuel shortages than short ones, says Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Her parents had a huge record collection, and her “dad loved The Beatles and Buddy Holly; mom loved Elvis.”
From Salon • May 7, 2026
So, too, did Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, the Grammy Award-winning guitar virtuoso and singer whom mentor Buddy Guy called “the next explosion of blues.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
To the dismay and disgust of Buddy and Jensine, practically everyone paid up and left.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
