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

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

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

See Examples For:

boyish

The “Spider-Man” star’s boyish mildness is unsuited for a youth who should be tormented by unanswered questions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

He’s more charismatic than Starmer, that much is undeniable, with a kind of boyish charm, and he can do “normal bloke” better than Starmer can.

From Slate ● Jun. 23, 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

The term refers to younger, slim gay men with a boyish look, and Sivan's image appears prominently in Google results and on Wikipedia's definition page.

From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026

Only after they were under way did Fischer allow himself to break into a big, boyish grin.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady