dude
/duːd/
noun
Origin
English
unknown — dandy or stylish person
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person, typically a man, often used as a general term for an individual.
- A person who is fastidious about their appearance; a dandy.
Language path
English
Earliest form
dude
Earliest period
1883
Journey
The word emerged in the 1880s as a slang term for the 'dudes' who frequented street corners in large American cities, dressed in high-fashion, often overly elaborate attire. By the mid-20th century, the term had shed its pejorative 'dandy' connotation and was adopted by California surf culture to mean any person, eventually becoming a staple of informal American English.
Evolution
- 1883
dude
“a dandy; an extremely well-dressed man”
Used disparagingly to describe young men with exaggerated fashion sense.
- 1960s
dude
“a fellow; a person”
Popularized by the surf culture of the 1960s.
- Modern
dude
“a gender-neutral term of address or reference”
Widely used in informal English globally.
Connections
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Related to dude
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.