hoyden

American  

[hoid-n] / ˈhɔɪd n /

Or hoiden

noun

1. a boisterous, bold, and carefree girl; a tomboy.

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adjective

1. boisterous; rude.

hoyden British  

/ ˈhɔɪdən /

noun

1. a wild boisterous girl; tomboy

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Other Word Forms

• hoydenish adjective
• hoydenishness noun
• hoydenism noun

Etymology

Origin of hoyden

1585–95; perhaps < Middle Dutch heyden boor, heathen

Example Sentences

She was still a hoyden girl of fourteen in spite of her womanly status.

From Literature

Page in his novel “Lolita” on which Vladimir Nabokov referred to “Noon”: “. . . she wanted to know if the guy noon-napping on Doris Lee’s hay was the father of the pseudo-voluptuous hoyden in the foreground.”

From Washington Post

Ms. Faye is having altogether too much fun as Babe, and at first she seems to be overplaying the hoyden and underplaying the seductress.

From New York Times

Credited with putting "all the flap into flapperdom", Adele raced about the London stage like an exquisite hoyden, managing always to keep in strict rhythm.

From The Guardian

Now and then he had to glance down at the white hair of the hoyden to reassure himself.

From Project Gutenberg