dude

English Online Dictionary. What means dude‎? What does dude mean?

English

Etymology

Uncertain, though likely a clipping of doodle (“fool, simpleton, mindless person”), perhaps with reference to the fashionable “Yankee Doodle dandy” in the 18th-century lyrics of the song “Yankee Doodle”; the word is first attested in 1883 as a New York City slang term of contempt for a “fastidious man, fop”. If so, then related to German Low German Dudeldop, Dudendop (“fool, dunce”), Saterland Frisian Duddigegen (“idiot”).

It has also been suggested that the word is derived from dudes (“old rags”; compare duds) and dudesman (“scarecrow”), or possibly related to dawdle; It has also been suggested the word derives from the Irish dúid.

The common claim that the term derives from (or is) a word for a camel's foreskin (or some other vulgar thing, like a hair on a cow, horse, donkey, or elephant's bottom) is false.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: do͞od, IPA^(key): /duːd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /duːd/, (term of address) [dʉːwd]
• Rhymes: -uːd

Noun

dude (plural dudes)

1. (chiefly US, Canada, colloquial) A man, generally a younger man.
2. (colloquial, used in the vocative) A term of address for someone, typically a man, particularly when cautioning them or offering advice.
3. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) An inexperienced cowboy.
4. (slang) A tourist.
5. (archaic) A man who is very concerned about his dress and appearance; a dandy, a fop.

Alternative forms

• dood (nonstandard)
• dewd (nonstandard)
• d00d (Internet slang)

Synonyms

• (man): bloke (British, Australia, New Zealand slang (mainly in Southland)), chap (British), cove (dated British), guy
• (term of address for a man): mate (British, Australia, New Zealand)
• (man concerned about his appearance): dandy, fop, masher
• See also Thesaurus:man

Derived terms

• dudine (obsolete), dudess (obsolete), dudette

Translations

Interjection

dude

1. (slang) A term of address, usually for a man, conveying awe, excitement, surprise, annoyance, etc.

Synonyms

• mate (British, Australia, New Zealand)

Verb

dude (third-person singular simple present dudes, present participle dudeing or duding, simple past and past participle duded)

1. To address someone as dude.
2. To take a vacation in a dude ranch.
3. (US) Usually followed by up: to dress up, to wear smart or special clothes.
   • 1994, Sydell I. Voeller, chapter 8, in Her Sister's Keeper, New York, N.Y.: Avalon Press, ISBN 978-0-8034-9063-5; republished Amherst Junction, Wis.: Hard Shell Word Factory, February 2002, ISBN 978-0-7599-0223-7, page 81:

     "Speaking of being duded out …" He shrugged, then handed her the bag. "Here. This is for you." / She reached inside and gasped as she pulled out a white suede western style hat. A glittering gold braid encircled the brim. / "Oh, Zack! It's beautiful. Thank you."

   • 1990, Bob Gale & Robert Zemeckis, Back to the Future Part III, screenplay:
   • Buford Tannen: Especially not some duded-up egg-sucking piece of gutter trash!

References

Asturian

Verb

dude

1. first-person singular present subjunctive of dudar
2. third-person singular present subjunctive of dudar

Middle English

Verb

dude

1. did

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈdude]

Noun

dude f

1. inflection of dudă:
   1. indefinite plural
   2. indefinite genitive/dative singular

Slovene

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dùːdɛ/, /dúːdɛ/

Noun

dūde f pl

1. bagpipes (musical instrument)

Inflection

Further reading

• “dude”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2024

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdude/ [ˈd̪u.ð̞e]
• Rhymes: -ude
• Syllabification: du‧de

Verb

dude

1. inflection of dudar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative