big brother: Meaning and Definition of

big' broth'er

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. an elder brother.
  2. (sometimes caps.) a man who individually or as a member of an organized group undertakes to sponsor or assist a boy in need of help or guidance.
  3. (usually caps.) the head of a totalitarian regime that keeps its citizens under close surveillance.
  4. (usually caps.) the aggregate of officials and policy makers of a powerful and pervasive state.
  5. a police officer or police car.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.