tomboy
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- tomboyish adjective
- tomboyishly adverb
- tomboyishness noun
Etymology
Origin of tomboy
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."
Vocabulary lists containing tomboy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Zwick got his start on the ABC domestic drama “Family,” which starred Kristy McNichol as a tomboy named Buddy Lawrence.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2024
She is the consummate cool girl: 33 years old, both a total hottie and a total tomboy, unable to do things like make a real meal or read a book.
From New York Times • Feb. 13, 2024
But I always felt a particular closeness to Queen Latifah, maybe because she's from Jersey and I'm from Philly, but also because I was a tomboy when I was young.
From BBC • Oct. 8, 2023
He felt like saying aloud what was going on would lock his whole family into a future—solidify that, no, his kid was not just a tomboy, and this was not just a phase.
From Slate • Jun. 16, 2023
The two aging men saw her through her loneliest and most difficult hours, through the malignant limbo of turning from a howling tomboy into a young woman.
From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
