dude

[ dood, dyood ]

noun

1. a man excessively concerned with his clothes, grooming, and manners.
2. Slang
   1. a fellow; chap.
   2. (a general term of address used to a man, woman, or group).
3. a person reared in a large city.
4. Western U.S. an urban Easterner who vacations on a ranch.

interjection

1. Slang (an expression of shock, approval, sympathy, or other strong feeling):

   Dude! That's one expensive sandwich!

verb phrase

1. Slang. to dress in one's fanciest, best, or most stylish clothes; dress up:

   He got all duded up to go to the dance.

dude

/ djuːd; duːd /

noun

1. a city dweller, esp one holidaying on a ranch
2. a dandy
3. a person: often used to any male in direct address

Derived Forms

• ˈdudishly, adverb
• ˈdudish, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dude¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of dude¹

C19: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Still, it’s incredibly revealing that the second spinoff attempt, “Wayward Sisters,” was centered entirely around a group of female demon hunters, rather than being another recycled dude fest.

From Vox

Oceanside mayor-elect Esther Sanchez won by a hefty margin against a lot of dudes on the ballot, and Encinitas incumbent Catherine Blakespear bested Julie Thunder.

From Voice of San Diego

He’s the dude, the boss, the man, and he helped to negotiate the 2015 deal with Lungu.

From Ozy

Because just think about it when you young and you playing ball on a playground and whatever, there’s some guys that want to play one or two games and there’s some dudes who want to play all day.

From Ozy

There’s some dudes that want to go work out, there’s some dudes that want to rest.

From Ozy

The biggest misfire here, though, was the notion that anyone would believe that this dude looked at all like Prince Harry.

From The Daily Beast

But of course dude's had his ups and downs—it's been 15 years.

From The Daily Beast

For his part though, the dude with the inner grandma is pretty much just looking ahead.

From The Daily Beast

Not only, in the rarest of cases, where there a female lead in a blockbuster action movie, but the damsel in distress was a dude.

From The Daily Beast

They should put dude down in the hood and let him get what he deserves.

From The Daily Beast

Just afterwards, I had my chin with the real-estate dude, and I tell you it made me pretty blue.

From Project Gutenberg

The general plan of the structure was the same as that of many cabins being built in public parks and dude ranches.

From Project Gutenberg

Ten years from now, thar won't be a cow hand ner a gun outside a dude ranch er a rodeo.

From Project Gutenberg

Old Jeff referred to him as a dude, but the comment applied to mannerisms rather than clothes.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus a man who is noted for his dress is a "swell," a "dude," or a "sport."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• buddy
• chap
• fellow