dude

Dude is a slang term in English that refers to a person, typically a man, and is used as a casual form of address or as an interjection. In contemporary use it can be uttered as “Hey, dude” or as an exclamation like “Dude, that was wild.” While historically masculine in tone, the term has broadened in many communities to refer to people of any gender, though perceptions of neutrality vary.

The etymology is uncertain. The word appears in American slang dating from the late 19th century, initially describing a fastidious or fashion-conscious man—often a dandy or city dweller. Over time the sense broadened to refer to a generic man or, in some contexts, any person. The related phrase “dude ranch” arose in the Western United States to describe tourist outfits where visitors adopted Western dress and manners.

In popular culture, the term has been widely used in dialogue and titles. The 1998 film The Big Lebowski popularized the persona of “the Dude,” a laid-back, nonchalant character that helped imprint a relaxed, casual connotation on the word. Derivatives such as dudebro and dudette appear in contemporary slang, though dudette remains rare and somewhat humorous. Today, dude remains an informal, versatile term used across ages and genders in many English-speaking communities.