boy meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

boy

noun

US, UK /bɔɪ/ · UK /boj/

Etymology

From Middle English boy /boye (“servant, commoner, knave, boy”), from Old English *bōia (“boy”), from Proto-West Germanic *bōjō, from Proto-Germanic *bōjô (“younger brother, young male relation”), from Proto-Germanic *bō- (“brother, close male relation”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰā-, *bʰāt- (“father, elder brother, brother”). Cognate with Scots boy (“boy”), West Frisian boai (“boy”), Dutch boi (“boy”), Low German Boi (“boy”), and probably to the Old English proper name Bōia. Also related to West Flemish boe (“brother”), Norwegian dialectal boa (“brother”), Dutch boef (“rogue, knave”), Bavarian Bua (“young boy, lad”), German Bube ("boy; knave; jack"; > English bub), Icelandic bófi (“rogue, crook, bandit, knave”), Lombard bagaj. See also bully.

18 senses

1A male child.
2A young man.
3A son of any age.
4A male human younger than the speaker.
5A male human of any age, as opposed to a "girl" (female…
6A male of low station, (especially as pejorative) a…
7A male servant, slave, assistant, or employee, particularly
8A younger such worker.
9A non-white male servant regardless of age, particularly…
10A male camp follower.
11Any non-white male, regardless of age.
12A male friend.
13A male submissive.
14A male non-human animal, especially, in affectionate…
15A former low rank of various armed services; a holder of…
16Heroin.
17A male (tree, gene, etc).
18Any tangible object close to one's person; often used in…

A male child.

Kieran plays football with other boys in his school.
The ſtretes of the cite alſo ſhalbe full of yonge boyes and damſelles, playnge vpon the ſtretes.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Zachary [Zechariah] viij:[5], folio xcix, recto, column 2:

4 more examples

I find I was mistaken in the sex, it is a boy.1711 March 17 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Jonathan Swift, “[Dr. Swift’s Journal to Stella.] Letter XVII.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XIV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 371:
Ah! happy years! once more who would not be a boy?1812, Lord Byron, “Canto II”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. A Romaunt, London: […] [F]or John Murray, […]; William Blackwood, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; by Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, stanza XXIII, page 72:
"He is not quite a baby, Alfred," said Ellen, "though he is only a big stupid boy. We have made him miserable enough. Let us leave him alone."1876, Frances Eliza Millett Notley, “A Tale of Love”, in The Kiddle-a-Wink, page 168:
Girls were offered baby dolls, princesses and sexy fashion figures; the boys section had superheroes, building blocks, science kits and dinosaurs.2014 January 31, Kelly Wallace, “Pink, princess-y and sexy too soon”, in CNN:

Broadly, Informal A young man.

Kate is dating a boy named Jim.

Broadly, Diminutive, Especially, With a possessive A son of any age.

Low as that tide has ebbed with me, / It still reflects to memory’s eye / The hour, my brave, my only boy, / Fell by the side of great Dundee.1805, Walter Scott, “Canto Fourth”, in The Lay of the Last Minstrel: A Poem, London: […] [James Ballantyne] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], and A[rchibald] Constable and Co., […], →OCLC, stanza II, page 94:
I tried. I tried. But he wouldn't listen. My boy was stubborn. My boy was strong. And he was gonna get himself killed. Now I told him, I told him I did it too. That I was like Hoffman, getting by, and that's what you heard that night: me talking him down, him kicking and screaming until the fight went out of him. He put me up on a pedestal. And I had to show him that I was down in the gutter with the rest of them. Broke my boy. I broke my boy.2015, Gordon Smith, “Five-O” (38:10 from the start), in Better Call Saul, season 1, episode 6, spoken by Michael Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks):

Broadly, Diminutive, Endearing A male human younger than the speaker.

Broadly, Derogatory, Informal, Mildly, Sometimes A male human of any age, as opposed to a "girl" (female human of any age).

boys' club
"My dear girl, what has he done?" said Mrs. Mallowe, sweetly. It is noticeable that ladies of a certain age call each other "dear girl," just as commissioners of twenty-eight years' standing address their equals in the Civil List as "my boy."1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Education of Otis Yeere”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 10:

1 more example

It opened up a whole range [of feelings]. Some of them we were prepared for ― like for some women to feel some of the images were anti-feminist […] One woman wrote, "I can see the boys have taught you well." "Macho B.S.," someone else wrote.1989 December 10, Tatiana Schreiber, Liz Galst, Emma Stonebridge, “Drawing The Line: Lesbian Sex And Art: What Do You Like, How Do You Decide?”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 9:

Broadly, Obsolete A male of low station, (especially as pejorative) a worthless male, a wretch; a mean and dishonest male, a knave.

Do’ſt thou call mee foole boy?c. 1603–1606 (date written), [William Shakespeare], […] His True Chronicle Historie of the Life and Death of King Lear and His Three Daughters. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Nathaniel Butter, […], published 1608, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], signature [C4], verso:

Broadly A male servant, slave, assistant, or employee, particularly

Now rare and usually offensive outside some Commonwealth nations

He allowed his ‘boy’ - an overfed young negro from the coast - to treat the white men, under his very eyes, with provoking insolence.1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 211:
“Why does he go out and pinch all his dogs in person? He’s an administrator, isn’t he? Wouldn’t he hire a boy or something?” “We call them ‘staff,’” Roger replies, […]1973, Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow, 1st US edition, New York: Viking Press, →ISBN, part 1: Beyond the Zero, page 37:

› A male servant, slave, assistant, or employee

Broadly A younger such worker.

Now rare and usually offensive outside some Commonwealth nations

I resolved to continue in the Cave, with my two Servants, my Maid, and a Boy, whom I had brought from France.1721, Penelope Aubin, The Life of Madam de Beaumount, ii, 36:

Broadly, Historical, Offensive A non-white male servant regardless of age, particularly as a form of address.

Now rare and usually offensive outside some Commonwealth nations

My Boy Stephen Grauener.1625, W. Hawkins in Samuel Purchas, Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas his Pilgrimes, Vol. I, iii, vii, 211
They picked out two of the strongest of the Boys (as they call the Men) about the place.1834, Edward Markham, New Zealand or Recollections of It, section 72:

4 more examples

The blacks who work on a station or farm are always, like the blacks in the Southern States, called boys.1876, Ebenezer Thorne, The Queen of the Colonies, or, Queensland as I Knew It, section 58:
From a domestic point of view the advent of the Chinese was a decided blessing, for, instead of the European ladies of the settlement having to do all their own work, they were able to employ a proper staff of Chinese boys.1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 233:
[In Shanghai,] The register clerk assigns you to a room, and instead of ‘Front!’ he shouts ‘Boy!’1907 May 13, Evening Post, N.Y, section 6:
He thrust his head into the aisle. "Boy!" A Chinese in a white coat responded listlessly. "What will you have? Beer?"1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 521:

Broadly, Obsolete A male camp follower.

Now rare and usually offensive outside some Commonwealth nations

If any water be rough and boysterous, or the chanell verye broade, it manye times drowneth the carriages and the boyes and nowe and then slouthfull and lyther souldiours.1572, Flavius Vegetius Renatus, translated by John Sadler, Foure Bookes... Contayninge a Plaine Forme, and Perfect Knowledge of Martiall Policye..., iii, vii:
Godes plud kil the boyes and the lugyge, Tis the arrants peece of knauery[…]1599 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Cronicle History of Henry the Fift, […] (First Quarto), London: […] Thomas Creede, for Tho[mas] Millington, and Iohn Busby […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], signature [E4], verso:

Broadly, Offensive Any non-white male, regardless of age.

A Hottentot... expects to be called by his name if addressed by any one who knows it; and by those to whom it is not known he expects to be called Hottentot... or boy.1812, Anne Plumptre translating Hinrich Lichtenstein, Travels in Southern Africa, in the Years 1803, 1804, 1805, and 1806, Vol. I, i, viii, 119
Every darky, however old, is a boy.1888, Louis Diston Powles, Land of Pink Pearl, or Recollections of Life in the Bahamas, section 66:

2 more examples

[In Alabama,] Guards still use the term ‘boy’ to refer to Black prisoners.1973 September 8, Black Panther, 7/2:
BN: [repeating a catchphrase] I like the boy. MA: [to hostile audience] Hold it, hold it, hold it. Easy. Did you say ‘Roy’ or ‘boy’? BN: ‘I like the boy’. There's nothing wrong with saying that... Hang on, hang on, hang on... I'll change religion, I'll do anything for ya, I don't bloody care... What's wrong with saying that? ‘I like the boy’? MA: Boy... BN: I mean, I like the man. I'm sorry, Muhammad.1979, Bert Newton, Mohammed Ali, The Logie Awards:

Broadly, Especially, Informal, With a possessive A male friend.

hanging with my boys
The next thing I remember, I am walking down the street / I'm feeling all right, I'm with my boys, I'm with my troops, yeah.1980, Paul Simon, “Late in the Evening”, in One-Trick Pony:

BDSM, Lifestyle, Sexuality A male submissive.

A male non-human animal, especially, in affectionate address, a male pet, especially a dog.

C'mere, boy! Good boy! Who's a good boy?
Are you getting a boy cat or a girl cat?

Government, Military, Politics, War Historical A former low rank of various armed services; a holder of this rank.

Wounded... 1 Boy, 1st class, severely.1841 May 6, Times, London, 5/4:
He joined the Navy as a boy second class in 1898.1963 April 30, Times, London, 16/2:

US, Slang Heroin.

[…] drove by a corner, saw what I thought—no, what I knew—were dealers and asked if they knew where I could get some boy.2021, Tim Weber, Heroin: the Ripple Effect:

Childish, Often A male (tree, gene, etc).

Are there “boy” trees and “girl” trees? Yes. A number of species, among them the yew, holly and date-bearing palm, have their male and female flowers on different trees. The male holly, for instance, must be planted fairly close to the female ...1950, Pageant:
Of the 100 percent total, 25 will have two girl genes, 50 will have one boy and one girl gene, and 25 will have two boy genes.1970 [earlier 1963], Helen V. Wilson, Helen Van Pelt, Helen Van Pelt's African Violets, Dutton Adult

Colloquial, Endearing Any tangible object close to one's person; often used in emphatic forms such as bad boy.

This boy can really kick!

Synonyms: 30 terms
chap, guy, lad, mate, son, manservant, brat, knave, squirt, heroin, bhoy, boy, boykin, boyo, callant, chav, feely-omi, little boy, man child, manling, page, pillicock, sapling, shaveling, sonny, springald, stripling, yob, younker, youth
Antonyms: girl, man
Derived terms: 489 terms
aceboy, all-boys, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, alphabet boy, altar boy, antiboy, area boy, attaboy, atta boy, baby boy, backroom boy, bad-boy, bad boy, bag boy, bagboy, ball boy, banjee boy, barboy, Barnardo's boy, barra boy, barrow-boy, barrow boy, Barry boy, bat boy, batboy, batty boy, B-boy, b-boy, beachboy, bellboy, bell boy, bendy-boy, best boy, big boy, big-boy pants, big boy pants, big boys, bimboy, bioboy, birl, birthday boy, bitchboy, black boy, blackboy, blood boy, blue-eyed boy, boat boy, boi, bonfire boy, book-boy, bootboy, boot boy, boot-boy, boss boy, bovver boy, box boy, boy aquarium, boy band, boy-bishop, boy bishop, boy bits, boybortion, boychild, boyclit, boycock, boy crazy, boy-crazy, boy-cunt, boy cunt, boy-cut, boydem, boydick, boydom, boydyke, boyeen, boyey, boy friend, boyfriend, boy-friend, boyfu, boyfucker, boy-girl, boy group, boy hole, boyhood, boy howdy, boy in blue, boy in buttons, boy in the boat, boyish, boyism, boyitis, boy juice, boykin, boykind, boykisser, boyleg, boylesque, boyless, boylet, boylike, boylove, boylover, boyloving, boyly, boy-meets-girl, boy meets girl, boymode, boyness, boy next door, boy-next-door, boyo, boy off, boy oh boy, boyology, boy or girl paradox, boy parts, boypreggers, boy preggers, boy problems, boyproof, boy pussy, boy racer, boyremoval, boyremove, boys and girls, boys and their toys, boy scout, Boy Scout, boy scoutish, boy-short, boyshorts, boy shorts, boy-shorts, boyslash, boys of summer, boys will be boys, boy talk, boytjie, boy toy, boytoy, boy-toy, boywife, boy wonder, boyzilian, breaker boy, brotherboy, broth of a boy, bubble boy, bubble boy disease, bubble boy syndrome, buddy boy, bug boy, bully-boy, bully boy, bum boy, bumboy, bunnyboy, busboy, bus boy, bushboy, business boy, bussy, butcher boy, cabana boy, cabin boy, cabin-boy, cake boy, call boy, call-boy, callboy, camboy, candyboy, cash boy, catboy, caveboy, CC boy, char-boy, charity boy, Chelsea boy, cherry boy, chick boy, chickboy, Chinaboy, choir boy, choirboy, choreboy, cisboy, cis boy, city boy, climbing-boy, climbing boy, collegeboy, college boy, conyo boy, copyboy, copy boy, corner boy, counterboy, cover boy, cowboy, cuntboy, daddy's boy, damber, day boy, dayboy, delivery boy, demiboy, dolly-boy, donkey-boy, doorboy, doughboy, dough boy, drawboy, dressing-boy, Dutch boy, Earthboy, e-boy, everyboy, every good boy deserves favor, every good boy deserves favour, every good boy deserves food, every good boy deserves fudge, every good boy deserves fun, every good boy does fine, exercise boy, fagboy, fag boy, fag-boy, fair-haired boy, fanboy, fangboy, farmboy, farm boy, fboy, femboy, fireboy, fishboy, fisherboy, fly-boy, flyboy, footboy, frat boy, friendboy, friend boy, fuck boy, fuck-boy, fuckboy, funny boy, garden boy, gasoline boy, gayboy, gay boy, gay tyke boy, gentleboy, girl-boy, girls and boys, glory boy, glowboy, God boy, golden boy, golden shower boy, good boy, good boys deserve fudge always, good ol' boy, good old boy, good ole boy, good old boy network, gooseboy, goshwowboyoboy, grandboy, grease boy, Greenboy, Green Mountain boy, haut-boy, hawk boy, head boy, henchboy, herdboy, herdsboy, hod boy, homeboy, Honeyboy, hoo boy, hoo-boy, hopper boy, horse boy, house boy, house-boy, houseboy, Indian boys and girls, It boy, jack-boy, jack boy, Jewboy, jobs for the boys, jolly boy, kanto boy, kept boy, keyboy, kitchen-boy, knife-boy, lady boy, ladyboy, lardboy, laughing boy, lawnboy, lazyboy, leatherboy, lesboy, liftboy, link boy, little boy, little boys room, loblolly boy, loverboy, lover boy, lowboy, magical boy, mama's boy, mamma's boy, man and boy, man boy, manboy, man-boy, M and M boys, merboy, messboy, milkboy, momma's boy, mommy's boy, moneyboy, monkey boy, monster boy, mummy's boy, muscle boy, my boy, nancy boy, nancyboy, nerdboy, newsboy, newspaperboy, nigger-boy, niggerboy, no-no boy, Oakboy, office boy, oh boy, old boy, old-boy network, old boy network, our boy, pageboy, page boy, paperboy, party boy, Peck's bad boy, peg boy, Percy boy, Perry boy, pick-me boy, pieboy, pinboy, pissboy, pizza boy, playboy, ploughboy, plowboy, po' boy, po' boy bread, police boy, pony boy, ponyboy, pool boy, poor boy, poor little rich boy, post boy, postboy, poster boy, potboy, pot boy, prat boy, pretty boy, principal boy, pull-up boy, puppyboy, pussy-boy, pussyboy, pussy boy, quarterboy, ranchboy, Ratboy, rent boy, roaring boy, rude boy, rudeboy, rugby boy, saga boy, sailor boy, salesboy, sandboy, schoolboy, scooterboy, sea boy, send a boy to do a man's job, separate the men from the boys, shag-boy, shamba boy, shanty boy, shipboy, shoeshine boy, shoot the messenger boy, shopboy, showboy, sideboy, since Adam was a boy, since Adam was an oakum boy, since Adam was an oakum boy in Chatham Dockyard, since God was a boy, slave boy, slaveboy, slicky boy, Small Party of Good Boys, snowboy, soap boy, softboy, soft boy, sonny boy, soulboy, soy boy, sphincter boy, Spudboy, stable boy, stableboy, stable-boy, starboy, Steelboy, stick boy, stock-boy, stock boy, stockboy, suck-boy, suckboy, superboy, tallboy, t-boy, teaboy, teddy boy, Teddy boy, telegraph boy, the boys, tomboy, tom boy, tommy boy, ton-up boy, top boy, toy-boy, toyboy, toy boy, traffic boy, trainboy, transboy, trans boy, trash boy, turnboy, unboy, valley boy, water boy, wet boy, when Adam was an oakum boy, when Adam was an oakum boy in Chatham Dockyard, whipping boy, Whiteboy, whiteboy, white boy, white boy wasted, who's a good boy, who's a pretty boy then, wide boy, wolf boy, wonderboy, wrenboy, ya boy, Yahoo boy, yahoo-yahoo boy, Yellow Boy, yellow boy, young boy, your boy
Hypernyms: child
Coordinate terms: girl

boy

intj

Etymology

Exclamation of surprise, pleasure or longing.

Boy, that was close!
Boy, that tastes good!

3 more examples

Boy, I wish I could go to Canada!
Time is running out, so I renounce a spin on a Class 387 for a fast run to Paddington on another Class 800 - a shame as the weather was perfect for pictures. Even so, it's enjoyable - boy, can those trains shift under the wires.2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68:
Taylor Swift has entered her engagement era. And, as befitting an artist whose image has always evolved to reflect the shifts in her music — not to mention one who has never been afraid to share her most Hallmark-seeped romantic fantasies — boy, does she have a new look to go with her new status.2025 August 27, Vanessa Friedman, “The Ralph Lauren Look of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Engagement Photos”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

Related terms: oh boy

boy

verb

Etymology

To act as a boy (in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage).

I shall see some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness.c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

Coordinate terms: girl, man