<!--but not Cockney rhyming slang--> Brother.
(Cockney, MLE, slang) Brother.
Bruvver means: Brother.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Bruvver means: <!--but not Cockney rhyming slang--> Brother.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "bruvver".
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with B.
British address term for a friend or stranger — "bro" / "mate." Heavy in London and spread via UK drill and grime. "Bruv, you can't just queue-jump at Pret" lands exactly as punchy in print as it does in person. MLE staple since the 2000s.
A slightly more elongated, affectionate form of 'bruv' — used to address a close friend with a little extra warmth or emphasis. Bruver has the same meaning as bruv but carries a softer, more playful tone, often deployed sarcastically or in moments where you're pretending to be more street than you are. It's the kind of word that sounds funnier the more posh the person saying it is.
(slang) A male friend of a male.
Bruh (slang), an American English slang variant of bro used in bro culture
bruvver means: Brother.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
<!--but not Cockney rhyming slang--> Brother.
Bruvver means: <!--but not Cockney rhyming slang--> Brother.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
bruvver means: <!--but not Cockney rhyming slang--> Brother.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.