DictionaryAI

dude

DOOD/duːd/

Pluraldudes

7 meanings of dude

Practice

  1. 1
    young mannouncolloquialCanadaUScountable
    A man or guy. It is also a friendly, informal way to talk to someone directly.

    Some dude at the gym showed me how to use the rowing machine.

    Two dudes in matching red hats were selling hot dogs outside the stadium.

    Similarguy, man, fellow, bloke

    Note
  2. 2
    interjectionslang
    Said to someone, usually a man, to show surprise, excitement, wonder, or annoyance.

    Dude! You got us tickets to the big game?

    Dude, you ate the last slice of my pizza?

    UsageDude! can be a whole sentence. How you say it shows how you feel.

    Similarmate

  3. 3
    vacation visitornounslangcountable
    A city person who does not know ranch or outdoor life, especially a visitor at a ranch or park.

    Aunt Rose was a dude at the ranch that summer, but she rode better than some of the cowboys.

    In summer, the ranch was full of dudes on vacation from the city.

    Similartourist, visitor, sightseer

    Note

Practice

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Origin

No one is sure where it comes from. It was probably a short form of doodle (“fool”), and it was first used in 1883 in New York City as a rude word for a man too fond of fine clothes.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts