boy

[ boi ]

/ bɔɪ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR boy ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a male child, from birth to full growth, especially one less than 18 years of age.

a young man who lacks maturity, judgment, etc.

Informal. a grown man, especially when referred to familiarly: He liked to play poker with the boys.

a son: Sam's oldest boy is helping him in the business.

a male who is from or native to a given place.

boys, (used with a singular or plural verb)

a range of sizes from 8 to 20 in garments made for boys.
a garment in this size range.
the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.

boys, military personnel, especially combat soldiers: Support the boys overseas.

Disparaging and Offensive. a term used to refer to or address a man considered by the speaker to be inferior in ethnicity, nationality, or occupational status.

a young male servant; page.

Offensive. (in India, China, Japan, etc.) a native male servant, working as a butler, waiter, houseboy, etc.

Nautical. an apprentice seaman or fisherman.

interjection Also oh, boy.

an exclamation of wonder, approval, etc., or of displeasure or contempt.

Origin of boy

1250–1300; Middle English boy(e), perhaps after Old English Bōia man's name; cognate with Frisian boi young man; akin to Old English bōfa, Old Norse bōfi, Old High German Buobo man's name (German Bube knave, (dial.) boy, lad)

usage note for boy

During the slavery and Jim Crow eras, white southerners would use the term boy to refer to or address a black adult male, implying that black people were inferior. In the meaning “native male servant,” boy was originally used in colonial territories and in the ports of China, Japan, etc., through which trade with foreign countries was permitted by special treaty.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH boy

boy buoy

Words nearby boy

boxing ring, boxroom, boxthorn, boxwood, boxy, boy, boy band, boy racer, boy scout, boy scouts of america, boy toy

Example sentences from the Web for boy

This is Bey and Nicki at their most lyrically masochistic, and boy, is it a treat.

The 14 Best Songs of 2014: Bobby Shmurda, Future Islands, Drake, and More |Marlow Stern |December 31, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But religious tolerance would be a wholesome goodie for every boy and girl.

Santa Fails One More Time |P. J. O’Rourke |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
All would attest to the manifest goodness that inspired the perfect nickname for the boy who would become a perfect cop.

In The Shadow of Murdered Cops |Michael Daly |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
As a boy, by the way, Pierre had set out from Florida in an unsuccessful canoe trip to Cuba!

Canada ♥ Cuba Just Got Complicated |Shinan Govani |December 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

His high school prom was around the corner, and he had been hanging out with a boy that he had a crush on.

Beaten By His Church for Being Gay |Justin Jones |December 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Little David Copperfield is a jewel of a boy with a turn for books.

Essays in Little |Andrew Lang
Notwithstanding this copy-book preamble, my boy, I am inclined to suggest a little prudence on your part.

The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume One |Abraham Lincoln
She is married now and lives at Ashland, and has two nice children, a boy and a girl.

How To Do It |Edward Everett Hale
"Yes, always that," retorted the boy, and Piers Minor burst into a laugh.

The Doomsman |Van Tassel Sutphen
But he noticed the cord and gently untied it, so that the boy slept on undisturbed.

In God's Garden |Amy Steedman

British Dictionary definitions for boy

boy

/ (bɔɪ) /

noun

a male child; lad; youth

a man regarded as immature or inexperienced he's just a boy when it comes to dealing with women

See old boy

informal a group of men, esp a group of friends

usually derogatory (esp in former colonial territories) a Black person or native male servant of any age

Australian a jockey or apprentice

short for boyfriend

boys will be boys youthful indiscretion or exuberance must be expected and tolerated

jobs for the boys informal appointment of one's supporters to posts, without reference to their qualifications or ability

the boy Irish informal the right tool for a particular task that's the boy to cut it

interjection

an exclamation of surprise, pleasure, contempt, etc boy, is he going to be sorry!

Word Origin for boy

C13 (in the sense: male servant; C14: young male): of uncertain origin; perhaps from Anglo-French abuié fettered (unattested), from Latin boia fetter

Idioms and Phrases with boy

boy

In addition to the idiom beginning with boys

boys will be boys

also see:

fair-haired boy
mama's boy
separate the men from the boys
whipping boy

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

boy

noun

interjection Also oh, boy.

Origin of boy

usage note for boy

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH boy

Words nearby boy

Example sentences from the Web for boy

British Dictionary definitions for boy

noun

interjection

Word Origin for boy

Idioms and Phrases with boy

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

boy

noun

interjection Also oh, boy.

Origin of boy

usage note for boy

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH boy

Words nearby boy

Content related to boy

Words related to boy

Example sentences from the Web for boy

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for boy

noun

interjection

Word Origin for boy

Idioms and Phrases with boy

British Dictionary definitions for boy