big brother

noun

1
: an older brother
2
: a man who serves as a companion, father figure, and role model for a boy
3
Big Brother [Big Brother, personification of the power of the state in 1984 (1949) by George Orwell]
a
: the leader of an authoritarian state or movement
b
: an all-powerful government or organization monitoring and directing people's actions

Examples of big brother in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The new addition joins big brother Merrick, who goes by his middle name, Avery, and has a 3rd birthday right around the corner. Sarah Scott, Parents, 25 Sep. 2025 Rocki joins her big brothers, RZA, born in 2022, and Riot, born in 2023. Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025 Rae joins big brothers Levi, 4, and Elijah, 2, at home; the whole brood lives part time in Miami Beach. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025 In short, The Paper doesn’t quite escape the shadow of its big brother, but that’s just fine with us. Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for big brother

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of big brother was in 1809

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Cite this Entry

“Big brother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20brother. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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