homie
Americannoun
-
homies
plural
noun
Usage
What does homie mean? Homie is a slang term for a close friend. It can be used to refer to a friend, as in This is my homie Russel, or as a term of address for one, as in Hey, homie! Homie is sometimes spelled homey. It’s a shortened version of homeboy or homegirl, which are gender-specific but mean the same thing. These terms are all associated with urban and hip hop culture and are primarily used by members of African American and Latinx communities in the U. S. They commonly refer to a close friend who’s from the same neighborhood. In some cases, the words are used to refer to a fellow gang member. However, the terms have entered mainstream use and usually simply refer to a close friend. Homie is frequently used with a possessive pronoun, as in my homie. Example: I’m having a night out with just me and my homies.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of homie
First recorded in 1940–45; by shortening and alteration
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:
He left Chavez another voicemail: “They got ahold of me. The big homie Richie just talked to me to leave you alone. They been working on you a while.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
I’m in the living room with his homie, playing NBA 2 K, nervous.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
It was already a guy named Bart from Action Figures, and he had a little homie — everybody had crazy names — named Bart Deuce.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025
"Did you see?" my little homie, who is more like my nephew Ben said, "You hear about it?"
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2023
Early the next morning at my breakfast table my homie and I knew something had to be done.
From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers
Plant-based dinner with the homies We love going to this spot called Salaya in Thai Town.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2025
“I doubt anyone is gonna speak for him. Ima verify with the homies too.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 26, 2023
UAW counsel Benjamin Dictor on Sunday morning posted on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter: "All my homies hate companies that won't agree to fair contracts for their workers."
From Reuters ● Oct. 29, 2023
Anita Herrera knows exactly what we all need: a carne asada with the homies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2023
He drops knowledge just as he's slapping down a set of cards or a domino onto a table, and his homies can’t do anything but bow down to his greatness and keep their mouths shut.
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
