bae
An affectionate name for a partner, crush, or someone especially dear.
By Cal Hewitt, Gen X · Researched from public sources · ·
What it actually means
Bae is a casual pet name that can be sincere, playful, or ironic. It can refer to a person or, jokingly, a favorite non-person. The familiar before anyone else expansion is a backronym, not the word’s documented source.
See the quick definition in the bae dictionary entry.
Where it came from
Merriam-Webster records bae as U.S. slang for sweetheart or baby and gives 1976 as its first known use. Its exact pathway and single coiner are not established.
No single person is credited, the origin is well-documented.
Where it's popular
U.S. English, texting, and social media.
It is a pet name, not a formal relationship category.
How it caught on
- 1976Merriam-Webster’s first known use.
- 2010sSocial media made bae highly visible.
- Current useIt remains a casual affection term.
How to use it
“My bae is meeting us after dinner.”
A warm partner reference.
“That coffee shop is my Sunday bae.”
Playfully applying it to a favorite thing.
Common mix-ups
Bae is not an acronym for before anyone else. That explanation is a popular backronym.
Do you actually know it?
Bae facts
0/31. What does bae mean?
2. Which origin claim is false?
3. What year does Merriam-Webster give?
Related slang
Questions people ask
What does bae mean?
Sweetheart, partner, crush, or someone dear.
Does bae stand for before anyone else?
No.
When was bae first recorded?
Merriam-Webster gives 1976.
Bae was already recorded decades before it became a social-media catchphrase.
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