First appears c. 1788, in the writings of Charles Dibdin, of uncertain origin. Possibly from *bruddy, *bruthy, a child-talk alteration of brother. Alternatively, perhaps from British colloquial butty (“companion”), also the form of an older dialect term meaning workmate, associated with coal mining. Itself believed derived from 1530 as booty fellow, a partner with whom one shares booty or loot. Alternatively, compare Scots buddo, bodda (“buddy, kiddo, dear”), related to Icelandic budda (“purse"; also "short, stout person”).
Meanings
A friend or casual acquaintance.
They have been buddies since they were in school.
He told us we ought to think of Jesus as our buddy and all. He said he talked to Jesus all the time. Even when he was driving his car. That killed me. 1951 July 16, J[erome] D[avid] Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 23:
A partner for a particular activity.
drinking buddies
A partner for a particular activity. ▸ A workmate assigned to work closely with another.
Near-synonym: butty
training buddies [mentor/mentee]
An informal and friendly address to a stranger, usually male; a friendly (or occasionally antagonistic) placeholder name for a person one does not know.
First appears c. 1788, in the writings of Charles Dibdin, of uncertain origin. Possibly from *bruddy, *bruthy, a child-talk alteration of brother. Alternatively, perhaps from British colloquial butty (“companion”), also the form of an older dialect term meaning workmate, associated with coal mining. Itself believed derived from 1530 as booty fellow, a partner with whom one shares booty or loot. Alternatively, compare Scots buddo, bodda (“buddy, kiddo, dear”), related to Icelandic budda (“purse"; also "short, stout person”).
Meanings
(qualifier:Maritime English) A person far removed from the conversation.
I found some earphones in the pocket, buddy must have been pissed.
fr pote (friend or casual acquaintance) · es compinche (partner for a particular activity) · sh druškan (friend or casual acquaintance) · pl morda (informal address to a stranger) · es amigui (friend or casual acquaintance) · ca amic (informal address to a stranger) · es tío (informal address to a stranger) · pl kumpel (friend or casual acquaintance) · ru коллега (partner for a particular activity) · xdq ашнаки́ (friend or casual acquaintance) · lou vye (friend or casual acquaintance) · es acere (friend or casual acquaintance) · it amico (partner for a particular activity) · de Kumpel (informal address to a stranger) · cmn 哥兒 /哥儿 (friend or casual acquaintance) · ru прия́тель (friend or casual acquaintance) · km សំលាញ់ (friend or casual acquaintance) · fi tuttava (friend or casual acquaintance) · es acompañante (friend or casual acquaintance) · sh druškan (informal address to a stranger) · fi kaveri (partner for a particular activity) · es colega (informal address to a stranger) · fa رفیق (friend or casual acquaintance) · hu cimbora (partner for a particular activity) · es cuate (friend or casual acquaintance) · it amico (friend or casual acquaintance) · ja 仲間 (friend or casual acquaintance) · sh друшкан (friend or casual acquaintance) · km សម្លាញ់ (friend or casual acquaintance) · pt parceiro (informal address to a stranger) · km សំលាញ់ (partner for a particular activity) · es amiga (informal address to a stranger) · cmn 老表 (informal address to a stranger) · es compañero (friend or casual acquaintance) · it compagno (partner for a particular activity) · tr ahbap (friend or casual acquaintance) · lou boug (friend or casual acquaintance) · hy ապեր (informal address to a stranger) · sv grabben (informal address to a stranger) · ja 相棒 (friend or casual acquaintance) · ru дружи́ще (informal address to a stranger) · pl kolega (partner for a particular activity) · fr copain (friend or casual acquaintance) · sv vännen (informal address to a stranger) · it capo (informal address to a stranger) · hu pajtás (partner for a particular activity) · es colega (partner for a particular activity) · es camarada (friend or casual acquaintance) · es chero (friend or casual acquaintance) · nl maat (informal address to a stranger) · es causa (friend or casual acquaintance) · ka ძმაკაცი (friend or casual acquaintance) · id sobat (friend or casual acquaintance) · ca company (friend or casual acquaintance) · sv polare (friend or casual acquaintance) · ru прия́тель (informal address to a stranger) · fr copain (partner for a particular activity) · cmn 老兄 (informal address to a stranger) · nl maat (friend or casual acquaintance) · fi kaveri (informal address to a stranger) · nl maatje (friend or casual acquaintance) · cmn 伙伴 (friend or casual acquaintance) · fr pote (partner for a particular activity) · pt companheiro (friend or casual acquaintance) · lou djæk (friend or casual acquaintance) · fi toveri (friend or casual acquaintance) · pt colega (partner for a particular activity) · fi kaveri (friend or casual acquaintance) · ota گوڭلداش (friend or casual acquaintance) · nl kerel (informal address to a stranger) · fi kaverus (friend or casual acquaintance) · ru дружо́к (friend or casual acquaintance) · sh друшкан (informal address to a stranger) · ka ამხანაგი (friend or casual acquaintance) · ka მეგობარი (friend or casual acquaintance) · lou nèg (friend or casual acquaintance) · nl vriend (informal address to a stranger) · fr compagnon (friend or casual acquaintance) · fi toveri (partner for a particular activity) · pdt Schlockat (friend or casual acquaintance) · es cousín (friend or casual acquaintance) · hu haver (friend or casual acquaintance) · es amigo (informal address to a stranger) · de Kumpel (friend or casual acquaintance) · ka ძმობილი (friend or casual acquaintance) · sv kompis (friend or casual acquaintance) · es pata (friend or casual acquaintance) · fr camarade (informal address to a stranger) · hy ախպեր (informal address to a stranger) · es asere (friend or casual acquaintance) · lou padna (friend or casual acquaintance) · ru друг (informal address to a stranger) · es parcero (friend or casual acquaintance) · es amiguete (friend or casual acquaintance) · pl koleś (informal address to a stranger) · de Kollege (partner for a particular activity) · fr mec (informal address to a stranger) · pl kolega (informal address to a stranger)
First appears c. 1788, in the writings of Charles Dibdin, of uncertain origin. Possibly from *bruddy, *bruthy, a child-talk alteration of brother. Alternatively, perhaps from British colloquial butty (“companion”), also the form of an older dialect term meaning workmate, associated with coal mining. Itself believed derived from 1530 as booty fellow, a partner with whom one shares booty or loot. Alternatively, compare Scots buddo, bodda (“buddy, kiddo, dear”), related to Icelandic budda (“purse"; also "short, stout person”).
Meanings
(transitive) To assign a buddy, or partner, to.
If you are being formally buddied, have a good chat with your buddy and find out their interests -- these should more or less match your own. 2007, Philip Briggs, Danny Edmunds, Mozambique: The Bradt Travel Guide, →ISBN, page 86:
From Middle English buddy, buddi, equivalent to bud + -y.
Meanings
Resembling a bud.
Some of the dwarfer varieties are full of buddy growths in the early stages and these must be cut down and thrown away. 1963, John Herbert Goddard, Chrysanthemum Growers' Treasury, page 18: