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

Bateman shaped Clark from the page up, recasting a vain TV personality as a wide-eyed innocent who reads Floyd as a big brother. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 12 June 2026

Erica has been a steadfast supporter of her big brother from the get-go, and frequently goes to bat for the Knicks on social media. —Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026

Protecting Cornell’s legacy was also on Thayil’s mind when working on the memoir, and wanting to do so with the utmost care, often likening himself to the guardian big brother of the band. —Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 June 2026

Then news arrives that Sue (Elisha Cuthbert), mother to Sam and big brother Charlie (Michael Bradway) and almost a second mom to Percy, has died. —Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for big brother

• another
• godmother
• grandmother
• stepbrother
• stepmother
• mother
• nother
• other
• smother
• souther