tomboy
nounUK /ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/ · US /ˈtɑm.bɔɪ/
Etymology From tom + boy. First attested in Ralph Roister Doister (published 1567, written circa 1552), where it is used to describe a boisterous girl; the OED says the citation is however "generally taken" to mean a boisterous boy, and says that a use in The Old Law (published 1656, thought to have been written circa 1599) "certainly" means a boy: "must young court-tits / play tomboys' tricks with her?" By 1579 it was attested in the meaning "an immodest woman", and by no later than 1592 it had developed its modern meaning of a “girl who acts like a boy”.
1
A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner.
- His sister, his dearest and only playmate, is a tomboy at heart.
- “When you have a little girl like mine who is obsessed with the ocean and giant squids and insect infestations in homes, she’s considered weird or odd or a tomboy when in fact, science and things like that should be considered girly.”2014 January 31, Kelly Wallace, “Pink, princess-y and sexy too soon”, in CNN:
2
Obsolete A rude, boisterous boy.
3
Obsolete An immodest or bold woman.
4
Philippines, Colloquial A butch lesbian.
- Derived terms
- tomboyhood, tomboyish, tomboyism, tomboylike
- Related terms
- tomgirl