Sentence:  Though the term "<WSD>dude</WSD>" originated as a term to describe a certain type of male, and then later to refer to men in general, today it is often used to refer to both genders, at least in certain parts of the United States. Dudeism doesn't recognize "<WSD>dude</WSD>" as a gender-specific word. We consider both women and men who exhibit <WSD>dude</WSD>-like qualities to be "<WSD>dudes</WSD>," and assert that the word "<WSD>dude</WSD>" can mean many different things depending on the context. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A man, generally a younger man.