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

Dawkins, older by two years, has the role of protective big brother, which also means cracking jokes. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026

Though Omar has the best shot at playing Division I, he’s been inspired by his big brother. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 16 July 2026

From the start, Charlotte (known as Lottie to her family) developed a close bond with her big brother, George. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 14 July 2026

The New Heights podcast from Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his big brother, Jason, has featured a number of Hollywood stars over the past year, along with one notable singer (Taylor Swift). — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 July 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