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dude

(slang) A tourist.

duːdDocumented since 1880sSilenthistoricalCurrent205 viewsLast reviewed Sep 6, 2026+ Add a definition
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3 definitions
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Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026

Etymology timeline

Born ~1883 · 1 year of recorded use
1883Born2026: 10 citationsToday, 2026

Seen in the wild

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Global
#1·Apr 27, 2026Global

(slang) A tourist.

Heard in the wild
  • “Derek building a force-field around the Met Gala on the basis that it's "art" ok dude, why are all the guests millionaire elites tho? Some art is fucking dogshit that deserves to be burned to the ground.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Are you fucking high dude? First off calm down, if you dont like it why are you so vocal about it that you had to comment on it twice and secondly this isn't even furry content...that is a human character”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “The problem with feminism is equal treatment. So you want me to treat you like a dude? Treat you all cool like, but I'm also attracted to you??? News flash, women! You can't choose your sexuality! No matter how many times you try”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Get both three my favourite little dude”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Is it a white dude? I'm 100% sure it's a white dude. *preview pops up* Ah, yep. White dude. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/o...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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Global
#2·Apr 27, 2026Global

(chiefly, US, Canada, colloquial) A man, generally a younger man.

See it in action
  • “Some random dude running as a Republican for Congress in IN-05 is truly unhinged. And his picture on Ballotpedia is truly perfection for a wacko like this.”

  • “last night i met this trans dude and he was just like this awkward bumbling little boy and i cannot accurately express how intensely beautiful that is”

So we were at the mall and these two dudes just walk up to us and say "hi".
Origin: , though likely a , 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 , fool, dunce, . It has also been suggested that the word is derived from dudes (“old rags”; compare duds) and scarecrow, or possibly related to dawdle; It has also been suggested the word derives from the . The common claim that the term derives from (or is) a word for a camel's foreskin (or some other vulgar thing, like a ha. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"dude" means a man, generally a younger man. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"dude" is informal English meaning a man, generally a younger man. It is mainly used in North American English. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a man" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "dude" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

Heard in the wild
  • “Huh? He's just a dude. Everyone should be held to the same standard. Youthful mistakes should be forgiven. Especially if you arent too bright. His tattoo is a red herring. We should be talking about his time spent killing people for money with Blackwater.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Some random dude running as a Republican for Congress in IN-05 is truly unhinged. And his picture on Ballotpedia is truly perfection for a wacko like this.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Centaur cavalier is so fin dude”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “she was searching for "rodrigo duterte park" and we got curious. my friend feigned ignorance on duterte, and I just mentioned "bad dude" and she seemed surprised. "no, he's good for the people!"”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “last night i met this trans dude and he was just like this awkward bumbling little boy and i cannot accurately express how intensely beautiful that is”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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Global
#3·Apr 27, 2026Global

(birding, derogatory) A birder who has expensive clothing and equipment, but scant knowledge of birds, their fieldmarks, habits, etc.

Heard in the wild
  • “>> Dude, I did not resist the urge. It was”

  • “>> dude. Izzy's hustled all of you.”

  • “>> Dude, I did not resist the urge. It was”

  • “dude. For Coachella, this would this”

  • “dude. For Coachella, this would this”

Show all 6 examples
  • “>> dude. Izzy's hustled all of you.”

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