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• big brother
  big brother

  noun

  an elder brother.
• Big Brother
  Big Brother

  noun

  a person, organization, etc, that exercises total dictatorial control

big brother

American  

noun

1. an elder brother.

2. (sometimes initial capital letters) a man who individually or as a member of an organized group undertakes to sponsor or assist a boy in need of help or guidance.

3. (usually initial capital letters) the head of a totalitarian regime that keeps its citizens under close surveillance.

4. (usually initial capital letters) the aggregate of officials and policy makers of a powerful and pervasive state.

5. Citizens Band Radio Slang. a police officer or police car.

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Big Brother British  

noun

1. a person, organization, etc, that exercises total dictatorial control

2. a television gameshow format in which a small number of people living in accommodation sealed off from the outside world are constantly monitored by TV cameras. Viewers vote each week to expel a person from the group until there is only one person left, who wins a cash prize

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Usage

What does Big Brother mean? A big brother can be an older male, related or not, who protects a younger person. Big Brother (usually uppercase) also refers to an omnipresent, usually governmental authority that monitors everyone's every move. How is Big Brother pronounced?[ big bruhth-er ]

Etymology

Origin of big brother

1860–65; 1949 big brother for defs. 3, 4, the epithet of a dictator in G. Orwell's novel 1984

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

big brother Big Brother

Patricia McLure, one of Anthony Littler's few surviving close relatives, holds a photograph of the cousin who was "like a big brother"

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

"He was a bit like a big brother," remembers Patricia McLure, one of Anthony's last surviving close relatives.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

At other times, Jeremy is sweet and docile, playing the big brother role with no difficulty.

From Salon ● May 25, 2026

"She is perfect and healthy, and her big brother is joyfully adjusting to life with his new baby sister. We are enjoying every moment in our blissful newborn bubble."

From Barron's ● May 7, 2026

His sad and disappointed big brother, with his stupid faith in the power of Pine-Sol.

From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby

Following her departure from the Commons in 2010, Widdecombe appeared on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing that year, and was a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother eight years later.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Following her departure from the Commons, Widdecombe appeared on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and was a runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother eight years later.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Her Strictly appearance was however to turn her into a reality TV star, when she joined such shows as "Celebrity Big Brother".

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

Civil liberties campaigning group Big Brother Watch slammed the live facial recognition expansion as an "alarming escalation of an intrusive technology".

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

Winston looked up at the portrait of Big Brother.

From "1984" by George Orwell