boyish
of or befitting a boy; engagingly youthful or innocent: a boyish grin.
Origin of boyish
1Other words from boyish
- boy·ish·ly, adverb
- boy·ish·ness, noun
- un·boy·ish, adjective
- un·boy·ish·ly, adverb
- un·boy·ish·ness, noun
Words Nearby boyish
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use boyish in a sentence
It was a radical act to walk into an all-male barbershop and ask for a boyish cut, just as it was nearly 70 years later when O’Connor did it.
Britney Spears, Sinéad O'Connor and the Radical Act of a Haircut | Susanna Schrobsdorff | July 5, 2021 | TimeMy dad gave me his hearty laugh and his boyish eyes, but he could also be stoic, gruff, and comically reserved with his emotions.
To add insult to injury, NBC eventually replaced Leno in 2014 with a far less talented boyish goofball, Jimmy Fallon, who could never match the zany, brainy O’Brien on either silliness or smarts.
Conan O’Brien’s late-night run appropriately ends with him as the beloved butt of the joke | Inkoo Kang | June 25, 2021 | Washington PostThat was his boyish curiosity, his unbounded fascination with anything new.
Steven Spurrier blew up the wine world with the Judgment of Paris. His legacy lives on. | Dave McIntyre | March 19, 2021 | Washington PostI loved the boyish way he looked at me as the dad who could do no wrong.
How do you tell your child about the worst thing you’ve ever done? | Mark O'Brien | March 12, 2021 | Washington Post
I have a half shaved head, I wear boyish clothes and mostly act like a boy.
Newman imparts a simplicity and a boyish eagerness to his characters.
The Stacks: The Eyes of Winter: Paul Newman at 70 | Peter Richmond | October 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe was a biggish lad, with a boyish, slightly mischievous grin, and thoughtfulness and consideration were seamed in his character.
No one knows if Kerr actually succumbed to Bieber's "boyish" "charms," but she and Bloom did end up separating in 2013.
An Unlikely Hero Blooms in Ibiza: Orlando Bloom Sort of Punches Justin Bieber | Amy Zimmerman | July 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThere were boyish suits from yesteryear with puffy white sleeves and fur collars worn by androgynous creatures with white faces.
Valentino, Chanel, and Alexander McQueen at Paris Fashion Week | Liza Foreman | March 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHis boyish suspenders had been put away in favor of a belt, which was tight-drawn about his slim waist.
The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) OgdenDuring my two years here I yearned for God in my boyish way as perhaps I have never yearned for anything since.
Three More John Silence Stories | Algernon BlackwoodUsually in high spirits, he often displayed a boyish playfulness that resembled the gambols of a big good-natured dog.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowShe could not even join in this boyish old fellow's hurraying; yet looking on her happy face, he was quite satisfied.
Dorothy at Skyrie | Evelyn RaymondI would live my life not to excite her suspicions or jealousy, said the artist, with boyish enthusiasm and simplicity.
The Fifth String | John Philip Sousa
British Dictionary definitions for boyish
/ (ˈbɔɪɪʃ) /
of or like a boy in looks, behaviour, or character, esp when regarded as attractive or endearing: a boyish smile
Derived forms of boyish
- boyishly, adverb
- boyishness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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