noun

dad

noun

A father; an informal, affectionate word for one's male parent.

"My dad taught me how to ride a bike."

"She still calls her dad every Sunday."

How to Use Dad

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn informal, warm word for "father," used from childhood into adulthood.

When to use it

Informal — "father" is the more formal equivalent.

Common pairings

dad joke my dad like father, like son

Word Forms

dadded past tense, dadded past tense, dads plural, dads plural, dads singular, dads singular

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Can you complete this real example?

My _____ taught me how to ride a bike.

Etymology

Recorded in English from around 1500, likely from a child's early speech sounds — many unrelated languages have similar "da/ta" words for father, suggesting the word arose independently from baby babble rather than being inherited from one source.

Rhymes for dad

Ciudad Baghdad Navidad stepdad Soledad Trinidad granddad

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