boy

[ boi ]

noun

1. a male child, from birth to full growth, especially one less than 18 years of age.
2. a young man who lacks maturity, judgment, etc.
3. Informal. a grown man, especially when referred to familiarly:

   He liked to play poker with the boys.

4. a son:

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

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

   He's a Mississippi boy.

6. boys, (used with a singular or plural verb)
   1. a range of sizes from 8 to 20 in garments made for boys.
   2. a garment in this size range.
   3. the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.
7. boys, military personnel, especially combat soldiers:

   Support the boys overseas.

8. 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.
9. a young male servant; page.
10. Offensive. (in India, China, Japan, etc.) a male servant, working as a butler, waiter, houseboy, etc.
11. Nautical. an apprentice seaman or fisherman.

interjection

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

boy

/ bɔɪ /

noun

1. a male child; lad; youth
2. a man regarded as immature or inexperienced

   he's just a boy when it comes to dealing with women

3. See old boy
4. informal.
   a group of men, esp a group of friends
5. derogatory.
   (esp in former colonial territories) a Black person or native male servant of any age
6. a jockey or apprentice
7. short for boyfriend
8. boys will be boys
   youthful indiscretion or exuberance must be expected and tolerated
9. jobs for the boys informal.
   appointment of one's supporters to posts, without reference to their qualifications or ability
10. the boy informal.
    the right tool for a particular task

    that's the boy to cut it

interjection

1. an exclamation of surprise, pleasure, contempt, etc

   boy, is he going to be sorry!

Sensitive Note

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boy¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English boy(e), perhaps after Old English Bōia a man's name; cognate with Frisian boi “young man”; akin to Old English bōfa, Old Norse bōfi, Old High German Buobo a man's name ( German Bube “knave” (dialectal “boy, lad”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of boy¹

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

In addition to the idiom beginning with boys , also see fair-haired boy ; mama's boy ; separate the men from the boys ; whipping boy .

Example Sentences

In the 90s, it kept gay men out of leadership roles in the Boy Scouts of America.

From The Daily Beast

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

From The Daily Beast

Interviews in Serial (including ones from Adnan) do acknowledge that Jay was known as a resident bad boy at Woodlawn High School.

From The Daily Beast

The former Virginia governor was once the golden boy of the GOP.

From The Daily Beast

A sepia photo shows him as a young boy, head in his hands, with a large book open at a bar table.

From The Daily Beast

A little boy of four was moved to passionate grief at the sight of a dead dog taken from a pond.

From Project Gutenberg

You see, I'd always thought of him as the boy whom Great-aunt Lucia described having seen.

From Project Gutenberg

Poor Squinty ran and tried to hide under the straw, for he knew the boy was talking about him.

From Project Gutenberg

A look of passion came into the face of the watching boy, and again he fingered his revolver.

From Project Gutenberg

Several times after this the boy and his sisters came to look down into the pig pen.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• child
• kid
• little one
• young one
• youngster
• youth