Bae is a term of endearment for a romantic partner, friend, or even food ("avocado is bae"). Origin is debated: either short for "baby" or a backronym for "before anyone else." Not concerning. Slightly dated now; teens may use it ironically. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in.
bae
Romantic partner — short for "Before Anyone Else." By the mid-2020s slightly millennial-coded but still in active use, especially in captions and texts.
/beɪ/Documented since 2010s2010sGen Alphatrending291 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Etymology timeline
Born ~2013 · no dated citations yetSeen in the wild
Firecrawl: BAE Systems - Wikipedia
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Firecrawl: British Aerospace - Wikipedia
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Definitions
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#1·Apr 24, 2026Global
Romantic partner — short for "Before Anyone Else." By the mid-2020s slightly millennial-coded but still in active use, especially in captions and texts. Gen Z is more likely to write "boo," "my person," or just the name.
"Movie night with bae."
Origin: Originated in Black Twitter around 2013–2014; AAVE.
For parents
Bae is a term of endearment for a romantic partner, friend, or even food ("avocado is bae"). Origin is debated: either short for "baby" or a backronym for "before anyone else." Not concerning. Slightly dated now; teens may use it ironically. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in.
For ESL learners
Bae is informal English for a loved one, romantic partner, or favourite thing. Originally African American slang, mainstreamed via Twitter around 2013. Use only in casual speech. Formal equivalents: "sweetheart," "darling," "partner." Common non-native mistake: using it in formal speech or business writing. Also note that since around 2020 native speakers often use bae ironically rather than sincerely. Read or listen to the word in context several times before trying it yourself; the right register is harder to learn than the dictionary meaning.
Cluster: romantic_partner
Heard in the wild
“Click here for more information.") From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia British defence, security and aerospace company "BAE" redirects here.”
“[Jump to content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Aerospace#bodyContent) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Aerospace and defence company "BAe" redirects here.”
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Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
Global
#2·May 2, 2026Global
To make the sound of a wild animal, to bay.
Source: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "bae" (B)
bad-talkbad to beatbad tripbadunkadunkbad upbadwrongfunbae arcbaecationbaecation arcbaecation checkbaecation codedbaecation core
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Related terms
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Semantically related
- boo77%
Endearment for a partner or crush — "my boo" = "my person." Older than "bae," slightly more romantic than "bestie." Still widely used in texts, birthday captions, and R&B lyrics from 2004 to forever.
- bae coded71%
Describing someone whose whole vibe, energy, and behavior signals that they would make the ideal partner — not because of looks alone, but because of the specific warmth, attentiveness, and ease they project. Bae coded is an endorsement of someone's full presence rather than just their appearance. It's the person who automatically offers their jacket, remembers the small things, and makes people around them feel seen. Online it's used to validate people in photos, videos, or secondhand stories — a collective nod that this person has the right energy.
- mid bae71%
A romantic partner who's technically fine — shows up, says the right things most of the time, and isn't actively harmful — but inspires zero butterflies and maybe a small existential crisis at 2 AM. The mid bae is the relationship equivalent of a 6/10 movie you'll forget by the weekend: not bad enough to leave, not good enough to brag about. Often discovered during a conversation where you try to describe them to a friend and realize every sentence starts with 'well, they're not, like, awful...'
- bae szn70%
A real or declared stretch of time — fall, cuffing season, Valentine's week, or honestly just a Tuesday — when couple energy is at its peak and everyone either has a bae or is actively in pursuit. Bae szn is both aspirational and a little bit of a roast aimed at single people scrolling through everyone else's couple content. It's the romantic version of a seasonal trend, where the cultural pressure to be partnered feels especially loud. Posting 'bae szn loading' or 'we are entering bae szn' is shorthand for announcing romantic intentions or celebrating relationship status.
- bae mode70%
The specific behavioral upgrade that happens when someone is actively being the best version of a partner — attentive, thoughtful, present, doing the little things without being asked. Bae mode can apply to yourself ('I've been in full bae mode this week') or to someone else ('he was in bae mode all weekend'). It's a temporary, conscious gear-shift into romantic excellence, distinct from just being a good partner passively. Online it's used with both pride and humor, often as evidence submitted to the group chat for evaluation.