bestie

Bestie means best friend. In current slang, it’s also used casually for anyone, even strangers, as a friendly or teasing form of address: “Bestie, that’s not how this works.”

What does bestie mean?

The original meaning is simple: your bestie is your closest friend. Online, especially on TikTok and Twitter, “bestie” has stretched into a general nickname, like “babe” or “hun.” Influencers greet followers as “besties,” and commenters use it to soften advice or criticism.

That softening can turn sarcastic. “Bestie, no” or “Bestie, are you okay?” often means the opposite of affection: it’s a gentle (or not so gentle) way of saying someone is wrong.

How to use bestie

• “Going on a road trip with my bestie this weekend.”
• “Hi besties, welcome back to my channel.”
• “Bestie, I think you sent that text to the wrong person.”
• “Bestie, this is not the hill to die on.” (sarcastic)

Bestie vs. BFF

BFF (best friends forever) and bestie mean the same thing when talking about a real best friend. Only bestie gets used as a casual nickname for strangers.

Where bestie comes from

Bestie is a cutesy form of “best friend.” Merriam-Webster labels it informal and dates its first known use to 1991. The broader, ironic use as a greeting for anyone took off on social media in the early 2020s.

Related terms

• Oomf: one of my followers.
• Mandem: a group of friends, in UK slang.
• Slay: to do something extremely well.
• Periodt: end of discussion.

See more terms like this in our Gen Z slang dictionary.