“Bro”

“A lot of my friends are guys, so I’m used to the bro antics”, exclaimed the actress Gillian Jacobs, referring to her male friends as “bro”. “Bro” is a very common word among many teenage boys today, including myself. This word however, is newer, and is not fully understood by everyone. Its meaning has changed over time, and this causes confusion when looking at its definition.  I have discovered the true meaning of “bro” by looking into its origins, change and continuity over time, and the use of “bro” in my own life.

To analyze the word “bro”, the official meaning first must be found in the dictionary. According to Online Dictionary, the first meaning is “a brother”. This definition obviously makes sense, as it literally is the first syllable within the word “brother”. The second meaning is “a male friend or buddy”, which is the most common use in today’s subcultures and society. The third meaning, interestingly, is “a guy or fellow: used as a term of address”. To people who do not typically say “bro”, this could look very confusing, as “bro” is usually associated with non-formality. If you look into the origins of “bro” and analyze how the making has evolved, however, it will undoubtedly be more clear.   

 The use of “bro” is seen as far back as the early 1800s. The original phrase of “bro” first derived from “brother”, as an abbreviation, making it a profound masculine word. In the 20th century, it became a term to simply refer to a man, and was interchangeably used with “fellow and guy”. The phrase then gradually made its way into the lives of male friends who hold strong bonds, like one of brothers. This became increasingly more common and in the 1970s, and it was merged into many subcultures, and the stereotypical “bro culture” began.

“Bro culture” is generally used to describe subcultures with young men who share similar characteristics, activities, and the common use of “bro”. The most known groups include surfers, weightlifters, skaters, football players, skiers and other activities that attract mostly young men. These “bros” are typically perceived to be confident, relaxed, and more athletic. As “bro” emerged into these groups, it began being used as a compound for many slang words, and became widely used in pop culture. “Bro” is often heard in modern pop and rap music, and is vastly seen within online forums.  One very recognizable example is the 2011 meme “Bro do you even lift?”, which playfully mocks the gym “bro culture” among teenagers. I personally relate to this very well, as I hear it among most of my friends my age at the gym. “Bro” is even found in many modern movies. It is memorably heard in the 2014 action film Guardians of the Galaxy when Peter Quill says “Dance off Bro!” to the nemesis, Ronin, in an attempt to distract him. Through all of this, the popularity of “bro” skyrocketed and is now in the average teenage boy’s vocabulary.

Although “bro” is a friendly word, it is commonly misunderstood and neglected by adults of older generations. In my personal experience, I have seen adults that either view the term as immature or improper. For instance, my father has both mocked and playfully teased me about my use of the word. I recently asked his opinion about the word, and he told me that while he was growing up he saw it commonly used both in thug culture, but also in positive subcultures (mostly the subcultures mentioned earlier). My father also pointed out that meanings of words do change overtime and that he does notice the increased commonality of “bro” among teenage males. He finally stated that the word is not negative, but only something you would say to friends or people your age and not adults of authority. I personally agreed with him on this.

I used to dislike the term “bro”, until I entered my Freshman year of high school and made many new friends. I met most of these friends in activities I participate in, notably weightlifting and marching band, where I was exposed a lot to the word. I eventually adopted the word, and I still continue to call my closer male friends “bro”. I do however, have my personal guidelines for the word and know when to not refer to someone by that title. I usually reserve it for close friends, or someone I want to hold a conversation with at a friendly level. My friends and I continually greet each other by saying “Hey bro, how’s it going?” or “What’s up bro?” To older adults, it may appear as foolish, but for us, it is a way to recognize that we are trustworthy friends, and more than people who just know each other. I also have used it in instances when confronting people, to show that while I disagreed with them, I also was understanding and wanted to hear their perspective. Another one of my restrictions for the word is that I never refer to an adult or authority figure with “bro”. Not only is the term a more friendly title, but I more importantly want to address adults with their preferred title to give them utmost respect. My final limitation of “bro” is when I am talking to a girl. The word “bro” is a more masculine term rather than feminine, and is typically avoided when talking to female friends unless we are very close and they also refer to me as “bro”.

In conclusion, “bro” has meant many different things throughout time. It first began as an abbreviation for brother, then became a title to refer to any guy, and finally made its way into subcultures and pop culture as a whole. In today’s culture, it is often interchangeably used among male friends. I personally have adopted this word into my vocabulary, and will continue to use it especially after my research on the word, and understanding its evolution. This word has changed like any other word, and has impacted society.