What does bae mean?
Bae is an informal noun of endearment referring to someone's romantic partner — a boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other. It functions much like older pet names such as 'babe' or 'sweetheart', appearing both as a way to address a loved one directly and as a casual reference in conversation ('I'm spending Friday night with my bae'). The word emerged from American slang in the early 2010s and spread rapidly through social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, becoming one of the defining slang terms of that decade; its cultural prominence was such that it was shortlisted for Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year in 2014. Its ultimate origin is debated — the most widely accepted explanation is that it is simply a clipped form of 'babe' or 'baby', though a folk theory links it to a Danish word of similar sound. Bae carries a playful, affectionate connotation but remains firmly informal: it suits texts, posts, and casual conversation rather than professional or formal writing. For learners of English, bae is worth knowing chiefly as a marker of contemporary youth culture and internet-era vocabulary.
nounA person's boyfriend, girlfriend, or romantic partner; used affectionately as a term of endearment.
- A person's boyfriend, girlfriend, or romantic partner, used as an affectionate term of address or reference.
"She's bringing her bae to the family dinner this weekend."
"I'm meeting my bae for coffee after work."
"He posted a photo of him and his bae at the beach."
The plural is rare and usually appears only jokingly or when referring to multiple people's partners collectively.
"All the baes were invited to the couples' brunch."
Bae shot to fame so fast that it was a finalist for Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year in 2014 — despite being barely a few years old.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bae
Bae arose in early-2010s American slang, likely as a shortened form of 'babe' or 'baby', long-established terms of romantic endearment. It spread quickly through social media and hip-hop lyrics before entering mainstream usage around 2013–2014. A popular alternative theory claims it derives from a Danish word, but linguists widely regard this as a folk etymology; the clipping of 'babe' is the account most commonly given.
How bae is actually used
Strictly informal and conversational, bae belongs to internet slang and everyday speech rather than formal writing. It is used especially by younger speakers and is generally affectionate in tone, though some find it cutesy or overused.
Easily confused with bae
Bae is an informal term of endearment for a romantic partner, while bey is a historical title for a governor or chieftain in Ottoman and Turkic contexts.