DictionaryAI

dad

DAD/dæd/

Pluraldads

Verbdads, dadding, dadded

7 meanings of dad

Practice

  1. 1
    fathernouncolloquialcountable
    An everyday word for father, also used when you speak to him.

    My dad taught me how to ride a bike.

    Her dad works at the hospital downtown.

    UsageWrite my dad, but Dad as a name: Hi, Dad! Father is more formal.

    Similarfather, pop, papa, pa

    Oppositemom, mum

  2. 2
    be a fatherverbtransitive or intransitive
    To act like a father, such as caring for a child or making silly dad jokes.

    My husband dads like a pro, packing snacks and fixing scraped knees.

    My brother is still learning how to dad, but he tries hard.

  3. 3
    nounslang
    A friendly slang word used when speaking to an older man.

    The waiter grinned at the old stranger and said, 'Enjoy your coffee, dad.'

    A teen skating past an older man in the park shouted, 'Nice hat, dad!'

    Similarpops, pop

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of dad apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

An old English word for father, first written around 1500. Its exact origin is not certain, but it may just imitate a baby's first sounds, "da, da."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

  • Dad is a longstanding English word for father, recorded around 1500; lowercase 'old' does not identify the Old English language period. en.wiktionary.org
  • Its ultimate origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org
  • It may imitate a baby's early syllables. en.wiktionary.org