different between dude vs lad

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain, though likely derived from doodle (“fool, simpleton, mindless person”), 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”.

It has also been suggested that the word is derived from dudes (“old rags”; compare duds) and dudesman (“scarecrow”), or possibly related to dawdle; to German Low German Dudeldop, Dudendop (“fool, dunce”), from Middle Low German dudendop (“cuckold; simpleton”); or to Saterland Frisian Duddigegen (“idiot”). It has also been suggested the word derives from the Irish dúid.

The common claim that the term derives from (or is) a word for a camel's foreskin (or some other vulgar thing, like a hair on a cow, horse, donkey, or elephant's bottom) is false.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: d(y)o?od, IPA^(key): /d(j)u?d/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /du?d/, [d??u?d]
• Rhymes: -u?d

Noun

dude (plural dudes)

1. (chiefly US, colloquial) A man, generally a younger man.
2. (colloquial, used in the vocative) A term of address for someone, typically a man, particularly when cautioning him or offering him advice.
3. An inexperienced cowboy.
4. (slang) A tourist.
5. (archaic) A man who is very concerned about his dress and appearance; a dandy, a fop.

Alternative forms

• dood (nonstandard)
• dewd (nonstandard)
• d00d (Internet slang)

Synonyms

• (man): bloke (British, Australia, New Zealand slang (mainly in Southland)), chap (dated British), cove (dated British), guy
• (term of address for a man): mate (British, Australia)
• (man concerned about his appearance): dandy, fop, masher
• See also Thesaurus:man

Derived terms

• dude-bro
• dude ranch
• duded up
• dudine (obsolete), dudess (obsolete), dudette

Translations

Interjection

dude

1. (slang) A term of address, usually for a man, conveying awe, excitement, surprise, annoyance, etc.

Verb

dude (third-person singular simple present dudes, present participle dudeing or duding, simple past and past participle duded)

1. To address someone as dude.
2. To take a vacation in a dude ranch.
3. (US) Usually followed by up: to dress up, to wear smart or special clothes.
   • 1994, Sydell I. Voeller, chapter 8, in Her Sister's Keeper, New York, N.Y.: Avalon Press, ISBN 978-0-8034-9063-5; republished Amherst Junction, Wis.: Hard Shell Word Factory, February 2002, ISBN 978-0-7599-0223-7, page 81:

     "Speaking of being duded out …" He shrugged, then handed her the bag. "Here. This is for you." / She reached inside and gasped as she pulled out a white suede western style hat. A glittering gold braid encircled the brim. / "Oh, Zack! It's beautiful. Thank you."

References

Further reading

• dude on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Asturian

Verb

dude

1. first-person singular present subjunctive of dudar
2. third-person singular present subjunctive of dudar

Middle English

Verb

dude

1. did

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?dude]

Noun

dude f

1. indefinite plural of dud?
2. indefinite genitive/dative singular of dud?

Slovene

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dù?d?/, /dú?d?/

Noun

d?de f pl

1. bagpipes (musical instrument)

Inflection

Further reading

• “dude”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?dude/, [?d?u.ð?e]

Verb

dude

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of dudar.
2. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of dudar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of dudar.

English

Etymology

From Middle English ladde (“foot soldier, servant; male commoner; boy”), probably of North Germanic origin, possibly from Old Norse ladd (“hose, woolen stocking; sock”), undergoing semantic shift to mean a foolish youth, youngster of lower social status; thence by connotative amelioration coming to mean any young fellow.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /læd/
• (unstressed, sometimes) (rare) IPA^(key): /l?d/
• Rhymes: -æd

Noun

lad (plural lads)

1. (Britain) A boy or young man.

   Coordinate term: lass
2. (Britain) A Jack the lad; a boyo.

   Coordinate term: ladette

3. A familiar term of address for a young man.

4. A groom who works with horses (also called stable-lad).

   Synonym: stable boy

5. (Ireland, colloquial) The penis.

Usage notes

Prevalent in Northern English dialects such as Geordie, Mackem, Scouse and Northumbrian.

Derived terms

• ladhood
• signal lad

Related terms

Translations

References

• Frank Graham (1987) The New Geordie Dictionary, ?ISBN
• A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, ?ISBN
• Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
• Newcastle 1970s, Scott Dobson and Dick Irwin, [1]
• A List of words and phrases in everyday use by the natives of Hetton-le-Hole in the County of Durham, F.M.T.Palgrave, English Dialect Society vol.74, 1896, [2]
• A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, ?ISBN

Further reading

• lad at The Septic's Companion: A British Slang Dictionary
• lad in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “lad”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• ADL, DAL, DLA, Dal, LDA, dal

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?lat]

Noun

lad

1. genitive plural of lado

Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse hlað (“heap, stack”)

Adjective

lad

1. languid, lazy, indolent

Inflection

Noun

lad n (singular definite ladet, plural indefinite lad)

1. bed (platform of a truck, trailer, railcar, or other vehicle that supports the load to be hauled), eg. truckbed

Inflection

Verb

lad

1. imperative of lade

German

Verb

lad

1. singular imperative of laden

Middle English

Noun

lad

1. Alternative form of ladde

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

lad

1. imperative of lade

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l??d/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *laid?. Cognate with Old High German leita (German Leite), Old Norse leið. Akin to l?þan (“to go, travel, fare”).

Noun

l?d f

1. way, course
2. passage, watercourse, lode
3. carrying, bringing, leading

4. provision, sustenance

Declension

Descendants

• English: load; lode

Etymology 2

Akin to Old Frisian l?de, l?de.

Noun

l?d f

1. excuse
2. exoneration, exculpation

Declension

Derived terms

• l?dian
• werl?d

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lat/

Noun

lad f

1. genitive plural of lada

Romansch

Alternative forms

• (Sutsilvan) lo

Etymology

From Latin l?tus.

Adjective

lad m (feminine singular lada, masculine plural lads, feminine plural ladas)

1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan) wide, broad

Synonyms

• (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran) lartg
• (Puter, Vallader) larg

Scots

Alternative forms

• laddie - most common usage

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *laid?. Cognate with Old High German leita (German Leite), Old Norse leið. Akin to l?þan (“to go, travel, fare”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lad/, /l?d/

Noun

lad (plural lads)

1. lad
2. son
3. menial
4. male sweetheart

Volapük

Noun

lad (nominative plural lads)

1. heart

Declension

Derived terms

• ladik