Flathead Lake Lodge

Dude is a versatile American slang term for an individual, typically a man, but commonly used as a casual, gender-neutral address for anyone. Depending on tone, it functions as a noun (a guy) or an interjection to express shock, sympathy, or excitement.

Origins

Interestingly, the word likely originated in the 1880s as an insult. It was used to describe highly fashionable “dandies”—similar to the hipsters of the era—or citified easterners visiting the American West.

Evolution

In the 1890s-1950s, it often meant a person from the city vacationing on a ranch (“dude ranch”). By the 1960s/70s, it evolved into a general term for a guy or friend.