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 Jupe bros – Jacobi and big brother Noah (as the stage Hamlet), who are both going places – playing characters that reflect each other in a metaphysical way. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 22 Jan. 2026

In 2023, the triplets made their red carpet debut alongside their big brother for their dad's Louis Vuitton debut. —Emma Banks, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026

Riley was immediately excited to be a big brother. —Emily Krauser, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026

There’s a new sheriff in the night sky though, Saturn’s big brother Jupiter, the king of the planets, on the rise in the eastern heavens along with Orion and the rest of the great winter constellations. —Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 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