Slang for Friend

Welcome to the Slangpedia entry on “friend”!👭👫👩🏽‍🤝‍🧑🏿👨🏼‍🤝‍👨🏻

Immersing yourself in the varied terminology associated with camaraderie and fellowship? Whether you’re crafting a tale or simply looking to expand your social vocabulary, knowing the slang terms, words, and their meanings tied to “mate”, “bud”, or “homie” can be quite insightful. Without further ado, here’s our curated guide to slang terms for ‘friend’, accompanied by related expressions that resonate with friendships:

Mate

• Meaning: A friend or companion.
• Origin: Derived from the Middle Low German “māt,” meaning ‘comrade.’
• Usage: Commonly used in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. “Oi, mate! How’ve you been?”

Buddy

• Meaning: A close friend.
• Origin: Possibly from the word “brother” or the term “butty” (used for a partner, especially in mining).
• Usage: Widely used in North America. “Hey buddy, can you pass me that wrench?”

Bro/Brah/Braddah

• Meaning: A close male friend, but can be used generally for any friend.
• Origin: Short for “brother.”
• Usage: “What’s up, bro?” or in Hawaii, “Aloha, braddah!”

Homie/Homeboy/Homegirl

• Meaning: Close friend or associate from one’s hometown or neighborhood.
• Origin: “Homeboy” and “homegirl” are African American Vernacular English (AAVE) from the 1970s, with “homie” being an abbreviation.
• Usage: “That’s my homie from back in the day.”

Pal

• Meaning: A friend or companion.
• Origin: Comes from the Romany word for ‘brother’ or ‘comrade.’
• Usage: “Hey pal, long time no see!”

Chum

• Meaning: A close friend.
• Origin: Likely from the 17th-century English word “chamber-fellow” meaning roommate.
• Usage: “We’ve been chums since grade school.”

Amigo/Amiga

• Meaning: Friend (male/female respectively).
• Origin: Spanish for “friend.”
• Usage: Commonly used among Spanish speakers but also in the U.S. “Hola, amigo!”

Dude

• Meaning: An informal address for a man, but can also mean friend.
• Origin: Possibly from German “dudenkopf” which meant “simpleton.” By the late 19th century in the U.S., it was a term for a dandy or a city-dweller unfamiliar with western life.
• Usage: “Dude, check this out!”

BFF

• Meaning: Best Friends Forever.
• Origin: Originated from internet chat and text messaging.
• Usage: “She’s my BFF, we tell each other everything.”

Fam

• Meaning: Short for family, but can mean a close friend or group of close friends.
• Origin: Abbreviated from “family.”
• Usage: “Thanks, fam. I knew I could count on you.”

Bae

• Meaning: Term of endearment for a loved one or friend.
• Origin: Possibly an acronym for “Before Anyone Else” or a shortened version of “babe.”
• Usage: “Hanging out with my bae tonight.”

Mucker

• Meaning: A close friend or mate.
• Origin: Irish and British slang, possibly from the act of “mucking” about or having fun.
• Usage: “Good to see you, mucker!”

Roadman

• Meaning: Originally meant a street-smart person, but can be used to refer to a friend.
• Origin: UK slang, particularly London. Related to “man” from street language.
• Usage: “Alright, roadman? What you up to?”

Peep

• Meaning: A friend or group of friends.
• Origin: Derived from “people.”
• Usage: “I’m going out with my peeps tonight.”

Ride or Die

• Meaning: A friend who’s incredibly loyal, always there for you no matter what.
• Origin: Urban slang suggesting a person you’d trust so much, you’d be in a car chase together.
• Usage: “She’s my ride or die, always has my back.”

Day One

• Meaning: A friend who’s been there since the beginning.
• Origin: Suggests someone has been there since ‘day one’ of one’s journey or life event.
• Usage: “He’s my day one, we’ve known each other since kindergarten.”

Ace

• Meaning: A close and trusted friend.
• Origin: From the term “ace” in card games, indicating the highest-ranking card.
• Usage: “He’s my ace; we’ve been friends since we were kids.”

Bestie

• Meaning: Best friend.
• Origin: Shortened form of “best friend.”
• Usage: “I’m having lunch with my bestie tomorrow.”

Cuz/Cuzzo

• Meaning: Initially meant cousin but can also refer to a close friend.
• Origin: Shortened form of “cousin.”
• Usage: “What’s up, cuz? How’ve you been?”

Dawg

• Meaning: A term used to address or refer to a close friend.
• Origin: Derived from “dog,” suggesting loyalty.
• Usage: “Hey dawg, long time no see!”

Main Man/Main Chick

• Meaning: Primary or most trusted friend.
• Origin: Emphasizes the person’s significance by labeling them as “main.”
• Usage: “This is my main man, we go way back.”

Padna (or Pardna)

• Meaning: A friend or buddy.
• Origin: Derived from the word “partner” with a Caribbean twist.
• Usage: Common in the Caribbean. “Hey padna, how yuh doin’?”

Sidekick

• Meaning: A close companion, often in a context where one person takes the lead, and the other supports.
• Origin: Originally referred to a helper or companion, especially in the context of heroes and their supportive partners.
• Usage: “Every superhero needs a sidekick, and he’s mine.”

Wingman

• Meaning: A friend who helps and supports another, especially in social situations.
• Origin: Aviation term for a pilot whose aircraft is positioned behind and outside the leader in a formation of flying aircraft.
• Usage: “He’s my wingman when we hit the clubs.”

Sis

• Meaning: A term used to address or refer to a close female friend.
• Origin: Short for “sister.”
• Usage: “Hey sis, I missed you!”

Mandem

• Meaning: Group of friends or associates.
• Origin: UK slang, derived from “man” with a Jamaican English twist.
• Usage: “The mandem are getting together later.”

That’s it for our list of slang phrases for “friends”. We hope you’ve found this compilation enlightening. While the world of slang is ever-evolving, these terms have stood the test of time and are universally recognized. If you think we’ve missed any synonyms for “friend”, do let us know in the comments below. Keep expanding your vocabulary!👍😊

Fascinated by Slang? Explore More!
Discover other captivating slang terms and their origins. Here are a few more gems for you: