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

The new addition joins big brothers Jonathan, 10, and Jack, 6. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026

In Florida, miles away from the action in the Bronx, Jacob watched his big brother’s homer, and shared that the two spoke before the game. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

The Dallas Zoo said the baby's big brother, Okubili, was there to welcome him to the herd, along with fellow elephants Jenny and Gypsy. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026

But playing big brother to his teammates, has been a joyous subplot. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 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