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

God is good, Marquito is going to be a big brother. —Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026

Boy gets twin siblings after an eight-year wait After an eight-year wait to become a big brother, a Florida boy got a huge surprise when his mom showed him her ultrasound photos. —Ronnie Li, USA Today, 27 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

His big brother, Fernando won the Heisman and more than likely will be the top draft pick in the NFL draft. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 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