good guy

[good gahy]

noun

Informal.

1. a moral or noble person; a hero or someone perceived as one.

   The film's twist is that the monster turns out to be the good guy.

2. any person who is regarded as habitually prone to doing good things or as being morally correct.

   There are times in this job where we don't feel like the good guys.

Word History and Origins

Origin of good guy¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

In the filmmaker’s third movie in the series, the new “Predator: Badlands,” the namesake creature is recast as the good guy.

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In another, he said: “Obviously this would be a good guy for our industry, and also for any sort of people who have a criminal charge, unfairly I think.”

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He was a “good guy,” and “not confrontational” at all, she said.

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However, in an interview on the Times' The Business podcast, Ratcliffe says that was not the case and feels "good guy" Amorim will need an extended amount of time to prove his worth.

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From his initial interviews with reporters to his conversations with fellow fighters, Mark is kind and collected, an all-around good guy whose amiable manner belies his capacity for violence.

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Related Words

• Mr. Nice Guy