tomboy

American  

[tom-boi] / ˈtɒmˌbɔɪ /

noun

tomboys plural

1. an energetic, sometimes boisterous girl whose behavior and pursuits, especially in games and sports, are considered more typical of boys than of girls.

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tomboy British  

/ ˈtɒmˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. a girl who acts or dresses in a boyish way, liking rough outdoor activities

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tomboyishness
  noun
• tomboyish
  adjective
• tomboyishly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tomboys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tomboy

First recorded in 1545–55; Tom + boy

Explanation

A girl who dresses or acts in a stereotypically boyish way is often called a tomboy. Some famous literary tomboys include Scout from "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Jo from "Little Women." The word tomboy first appeared some time in the 1500s, meaning "wild, romping girl who acts like a boy." In nineteenth century America, being a tomboy was seen by many as extremely healthy for girls who were otherwise not encouraged to exercise outdoors. Wearing less constrictive clothes and actually playing gave tomboys experiences similar to those of boys — at least before they were expected to grow up and be "feminine."

Example Sentences

The half-day tour climbs Tomboy Road from Telluride to the 13,114-foot summit known as Imogene Pass.

From Washington Post • Sep. 2, 2022

Tomboy Tailors is one of several brands that have emerged within the past few years catering specifically to masculine women, transgender men and others who fall outside the conventional clientele for men’s wear.

From New York Times • Jul. 2, 2013

He says "With regards to where I am with Tomboy, I'm definitely reliving middle school."

From The Guardian • Sep. 4, 2010

Neither as sample-heavy as 2007’s Person Pitch nor as guitar-driven as 2011’s Tomboy, Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is a dense, bewilderingly brilliant listen.

From Newsweek

But I do and because of this Tomboy becomes my new name.

From "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson