dude
Americannoun
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a man excessively concerned with his clothes, grooming, and manners.
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Slang
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a fellow; chap.
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(a general term of address used to a man, woman, or group).
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a person reared in a large city.
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Western U.S. an urban Easterner who vacations on a ranch.
interjection
verb phrase
noun
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a city dweller, esp one holidaying on a ranch
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a dandy
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a person: often used to any male in direct address
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dude
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; origin uncertain
Explanation
Dude is a slang greeting term between men, meaning "guy" or "man." For example: "Dude! So, like, what's up?" It's been popularized by movies and TV shows, and has a distinctive whiff of American West Coast hippie culture to it. In the American nineteenth century dude had another life as a term for a dandy — a particularly well-groomed and fancily-dressed young man. From this came the term of dude as meaning a big city dweller unfamiliar with the ways of the Wild West. When such types came out West to enjoy the rugged life, they stayed in "dude ranches," basically resorts or spas, not real working ranches, and the term is still around today.
Vocabulary lists containing dude
Least Presidential Vocabulary Used by Presidential Candidates during the GOP Debate (Sept. 16, 2015)
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Ben Zimmer's 30 Great American Words
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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.
She has been with the show since it launched and has played a pivotal role in the host’s evolution from purveyor of dude humor to political commentator, people close to him said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
“He’s got certain virtues writers maybe aren’t supposed to have — dude is handsome, socially adroit. But he’s also insanely insightful and genuine.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s name was wrong, and the meme used a picture of some random dude to stand in for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
He won some fame as a surfer dude in Amy Heckerling's 1982 hit teen flick "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
"He look like the type of dude who would own a store that just sells...snacks. Like, you know what kind of guy you gotta be to just sell snacks? Snacks?"
From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds
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.
