buddy

UK: /ˈbʌdi/ US: /ˈbʌdi/ ,(bud′ē)

Inflections of 'buddy' (n): npl: buddies

Inflections of 'buddy' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

buddies

v 3rd person singular

buddying

v pres p

buddied

v past

buddied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bud•dy /ˈbʌdi/   n. [countable] , pl. -dies. 

1. Informal Terms a friend:
   All his buddies showed up for the surprise party.
2. Informal Terms bud²:
   Buddy, can you spare a dime?

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bud•dy  (bud′ē), n., pl. -dies, v., -died, -dy•ing. [Informal.]
n. 

1. Informal Terms comrade or chum (often used as a term of address).
2. Informal Terms bud².

v.i. 

3. Informal Terms to be a companion;
   be friendly or on intimate terms.
4. Informal Terms buddy up:
   • to become friendly;
     be on friendly or intimate terms.
   • to work closely together:
     to buddy up with a student from another high school.
5. Informal Terms buddy up to, to become friendly with or curry the favor of:
   He was buddying up to the political bosses.

• perh. reduced form of brother 1840–50, American.

Bud•dy  (bud′ē), n. 

1. a male given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

buddy / ˈbʌdɪ/ noun ( -dies)

1. 
   an informal word for friend
   Often shortened (as a term of address) to: bud
2. a volunteer who visits and gives help and support to a person with AIDS

verb ( -dying, -died)

1. (intransitive) to act as a buddy to a person with AIDS

Etymology: 19th Century: probably a baby-talk variant (US) of brother