dad

noun

ˈdad 

plural dads

informal

: a male parent : father entry 1 sense 1

My mom swam and played soccer, my dad surfed, and my brother played basketball.

—Shannon Griggs

Don't get me wrong, I'm a good dad who maintains a cheerful household and greets parenthood with a smile and an open heart.

—Ron Harris

—often used as a name

When is Dad getting home?

Dad, can you give me a ride?

Synonyms of dad

• father
• daddy

Examples of dad in a Sentence

Her mom and dad both said she can't go.

my dad did most of the cooking for dinner because he usually got home earlier than my mom

Recent Examples on the Web

The series also leans on some corny, dad-style humor that further underscores its artificial nature. — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026

For my worried patient, that study was not a countdown clock on his chance to become a dad. — Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

My dad was a legit scratch (played HS, college and some mini senior tours in his 50s). — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Her dad, who also struggled with acne, was the one who encouraged her to see a doctor and find the right products. — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably baby talk

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dad

• dad bod
• dad joke
• deadbeat dad

Rhymes for dad

• ad
• add
• bad
• brad
• cad
• clad
• fad
• gad
• glad
• grad
• had
• lad

Kids Definition

dad

noun

ˈdad 

informal

: father entry 1 sense 1a