bob
n. countable A1 Beginner US //ˈbɑb// UK //bˈɒb// bob
n. a common short name for a man called Robert. In some parts of the world, people also use it as a friendly way to talk about a man you do not know.
n. a familiar diminutive form of the masculine given name Robert. Occasionally used as a generic placeholder name for a male person in informal British English.
My friend Bob is coming over for dinner tonight.
After years of working together, everyone in the office simply referred to the manager as Bob.
While the name Robert has royal associations, its diminutive Bob often carries a more approachable, everyman connotation in contemporary English-speaking cultures.
Probably from a medieval hypocorism of Rob.
Usage
Proper noun; capitalized when used as a specific name.
- Nounbob
- Nounbobcat