bae

¹ American  

[bey] / beɪ /

noun

1. an affectionate term used to address or refer to one’s girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, etc..

   I love you, bae.

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adjective

baeer, baeest

1. greatly admired or loved.

2. very cool; great.

   His accent is so totally bae!

BAE ² American  

1. Bureau of Agricultural Economics.

2. Bureau of American Ethnology.

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B.A.E. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering.

2. Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering.

3. Bachelor of Architectural Engineering.

4. Bachelor of Art Education.

5. Bachelor of Arts in Education.

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Sensitive Note

Like similar uses of babe and baby, the word bae may sometimes be disparaging or offensive when used to refer to someone considered attractive or when used to address a stranger or casual acquaintance.

Usage

What does bae mean? Bae is a slang term for one’s significant other or an object of affection, often used to address them, e.g., I love you, bae!

Etymology

Origin of bae

An Americanism first recorded in 2000–05; probably a shortening of babe or baby

Example Sentences

Or maybe you throw in some words you think kids these days use, only to have your use of "bae" and "lit" be met with teenage eye rolls.

From Salon • May 30, 2022

He’s Welsh, he’s Russian, he’s American … he’s bae.

From Slate • Sep. 10, 2020

And, of course, there was salt bae, a Turkish chef by the name of Nusret Gokce, who tickled women and men alike with his flamboyant sprinkling of salt onto a carved steak.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2017

Photo c shows Velella bae, which resembles a flying saucer with a blue bottom and a clear, dome-shaped top.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

By the suffixed pronoun: inia nane gu bae kekerofana fasi uri this is he of whom I spoke.

From Grammar and Vocabulary of the Lau Language, Solomon Islands by Ivens, W. G. (Walter George)