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dad

DAD/dæd/

Pluraldads

Verbdads, dadding, dadded

7 meanings of dad

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  1. 1
    fathernouncolloquialcountable
    Informal word for a father, also used as a name when speaking to your own father.

    My dad coached my soccer team for three seasons.

    Their dad drove them to school every morning.

    UsageLowercase after my, his or her: my dad. Father is the more formal word.

    Similarfather, pop, papa, pa

    Oppositemom, mum

  2. 2
    be a fatherverbtransitive or intransitive
    To act as a father to someone, or to behave in the way typical of a father, such as giving advice or making corny jokes.

    He dadded his way through the camping trip, checking the tents twice and telling the worst jokes.

    Whenever we go hiking, Mark can't help but dad the whole group, handing out snacks and checking everyone's shoelaces.

  3. 3
    nounslang
    A slang term used to address an older adult male, often with friendly familiarity.

    The bouncer stopped a gray-haired man he had never seen before and said, 'Sorry, dad, it's a private party tonight.'

    At the bus stop, a young guy nodded to the older stranger beside him and asked, 'Long wait today, huh, dad?'

    Similarpops, pop

    Note

    Slang turns the family word toward strangers: an older man is hailed as dad, much as pop, pops and daddio are used.

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Origin

First recorded in Early Modern English as "dadd" (around 1500) and certainly older, from an unrecorded Middle English form of uncertain ultimate origin. It may be of Celtic origin (compare Welsh and Breton "tad"), or simply imitative of a child's first syllables "da, da," or possibly linked to a Germanic word for "father" seen in words like German "Tate."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

  • The recorded Early Modern English forms include dadd, dated around 1500, and the word is older. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word derives from an unrecorded Middle English form and has an uncertain ultimate origin. en.wiktionary.org
  • A Celtic origin is proposed, with Welsh and Breton tad as comparisons. en.wiktionary.org
  • Imitation of a child's early da, da syllables is another proposed origin. en.wiktionary.org
  • A possible Germanic derivation is proposed, connecting dad with a reconstructed word for father and forms including German Tate. en.wiktionary.org