bro
1 Americannoun
plural
bros-
a brother.
-
a guy or fellow: used as a term of address.
-
a male friend or buddy.
-
a fellow Black male; soul brother.
-
a young, usually white male variously and often negatively characterized as being preppy, party-loving, egotistical, sexist, etc.
adjective
abbreviation
plural
bros, Brosnoun
-
a family member
-
a close associate
noun
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
- broish adjective
Etymology
Origin of bro
First recorded in 1830–40; reduced form of brother
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The system is designed to make you feel despair. Like, the disparity is systemic!” he says with the misbegotten confidence of a podcast bro.
From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026
Now many are pushing a more brash, rebellious, bro vibe, and their admirers and customers are buying in.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Silicon Valley’s success and mythmaking long ago transformed the once-ridiculed computer nerd into the cool tech bro.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
“I’m like ‘Puka, bro, I miss this energy.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
“Aw, c'mon, Col. You screwed this one up, bro, not him.”
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.