boyish

American  

[boi-ish] / ˈbɔɪ ɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or befitting a boy; engagingly youthful or innocent.

   a boyish grin.

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boyish British  

/ ˈbɔɪɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or like a boy in looks, behaviour, or character, esp when regarded as attractive or endearing

   a boyish smile

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Other Word Forms

• boyishly adverb
• boyishness noun
• unboyish adjective
• unboyishly adverb
• unboyishness noun

Etymology

Origin of boyish

First recorded in 1540–50; boy + -ish ¹

Explanation

If you're boyish, you resemble or act like a young boy. Your uncle's boyish features might keep him charming and attractive even as he grows older. When you describe someone as having boyish charm, it means that person — often an adult man — has kept some youth or sweetness as he's matured. A boyish smile might be full of humor and mischief. The earliest meaning of boyish, in the 1540s, was simply "pertaining to boys," and it grew to mean "childishly silly," before gaining its current meaning.

Example Sentences

Steve Carell’s character in the likable, watchable and even lovable “Rooster” is classic Steve Carell: Self-aware, charming, boyish, incapable of reading a room, sidestepping a faux pas or calculating nuance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Models Bella Hadid and Loli Bahia have also sported them with boyish style, adopting a long-standing tradition of wearing the necktie as a subversive projection of women's equal rights.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

With his easy charm, boyish good looks and honest interview style, not to mention his considerable talent, Hunter quickly became snooker's poster boy for the new 21st Century.

From BBC • Jan. 2, 2026

In the video, he seems small and almost boyish in his baseball shirt and “I CAN’T BREATHE” mask, his shoulders somewhat slumped, unheard over the fury of the crowd.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2025

The sound surprises me—it’s genuine and boyish, so unlike his distant demeanor from our meeting.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu