dude English · revision 2873

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=clipping|attested=1883|origins=en Yankee Doodle}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /duːd/, /djuːd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is of unknown origin;^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) it came into vogue in New York in 1883.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Recent research reported by Etymonline suggests a shortening of ''[[Yankee Doodle]]'', from the song's idea of a foppish man,^(Etymonline) and Word Origins also takes it as probably a shortening of [[doodle]].^(Cresswell 2021) Hoad and the New Oxford Dictionary derive it instead from German dialect Dude “fool”.^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) The Century Dictionary thought it probably a spontaneous product of popular slang.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A man very particular about his dress and manners, a dandy: 1883.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) It was the vogue word of that year, first used of followers of the “aesthetic” craze.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Also in 1883 it was applied to a city person or Easterner holidaying in the American West,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) whence ''dude ranch'', a ranch taking paying guests, by 1921.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) More generally, a man who attracts attention, a fellow, is from 1918 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Word Origins says it came to mean simply “a person” in the 1890s,^(Cresswell 2021) while Etymonline records the application to any man by 1966, in African-American vernacular,^(Etymonline) and Barnhart about 1970.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb ''dude up'', “to dress up”, is from 1899.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1883 – a dandy; an Easterner in the West.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1899 – ''dude up''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1918 – a fellow.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1921 – ''dude ranch''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1966 – any man.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(slang)'' A man; a [[fellow]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A man who is very concerned with dress and appearance; a [[dandy]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A city person, especially an Easterner, on holiday on a ranch in the American West.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''dude up'': to dress in fancy clothes.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dudish]]

+ * [[dudishly]]

+ * [[dude ranch]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dandy]]

+ * [[doodle]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}