boyfriend

American  

[boi-frend] / ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd /

noun

boyfriends plural

1. a frequent or favorite male companion; beau.

2. a male friend.

3. a male lover.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or noting clothing and accessories for women that are inspired by men's fashions.

   roomy and comfortable boyfriend jeans;

   an oversize boyfriend watch.

boyfriend British  

/ ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd /

noun

1. a male friend with whom a person is romantically or sexually involved; sweetheart or lover

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• boyfriends
  plural

Etymology

Origin of boyfriend

First recorded in 1895–1900; boy + friend

Explanation

A boyfriend is a male romantic partner. Your cousin might ask if she can bring her boyfriend to the family Thanksgiving dinner this year. Usually, your boyfriend is a boy or man you're romantically involved with. Your aunt might join a dating site after breaking up with her boyfriend, and your ten year old neighbor might announce she has a boyfriend after a boy leaves a candy bar on her desk. The words boyfriend and girlfriend first appeared in the early 1900s, around the start of modern dating in the US.

Related Words

• beau
• companion
• friend
• partner
• suitor
• sweetheart
• young man