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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Midwest Premiere | Eleven-year-old Luna lives with her big brother, Julien, and her two adoptive fathers. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 June 2025 Aw, Demetrius is such a good (if tough) big brother. Emma Specter, Vogue, 25 June 2025 Ann loved her big brother but had not been blind to his faults. Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 14 June 2025 Finishing eighth in the race was Langston Thompson, who came over to hug his big brother. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for big brother

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of big brother was in 1809

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Cite this Entry

“Big brother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20brother. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

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