boy
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Wikipedia.
boy
a male child
Not to be confused with:
buoy – a floating signal; a life preserver
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
boy
(boi)n.
1. A male child.
2. A son: his youngest boy.
3. Often Offensive A man, especially a young man.
4. Informal A man socializing in a group of men: a night out with the boys.
5. Offensive A male servant or employee.
interj.
Used to express mild astonishment, elation, or disgust: Oh boy—what a surprise!
[Middle English boi, male servant, churl, young male, possibly from Old French embuié, person in fetters, from past participle of embuier, to fetter, from buie, fetter, shackle, from Latin bōia, collar or yoke used to restrain criminals, probably from Greek boeiā (dorā), (skin) of an ox, an ox hide (such restraints being made from ox hide), from feminine of boeios, of an ox or oxen, of ox hide, from bous, ox; see gwou- in Indo-European roots.]
boy′hood′ n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
boy
(bɔɪ)n
1. a male child; lad; youth
2. a man regarded as immature or inexperienced: he's just a boy when it comes to dealing with women.
3. See old boy
4. informal a group of men, esp a group of friends
5. usually derogatory (esp in former colonial territories) a Black person or native male servant of any age
6. Austral a jockey or apprentice
7. short for boyfriend
8. boys will be boys youthful indiscretion or exuberance must be expected and tolerated
9. jobs for the boys informal appointment of one's supporters to posts, without reference to their qualifications or ability
10. the boy informal Irish the right tool for a particular task: that's the boy to cut it.
interj
an exclamation of surprise, pleasure, contempt, etc: boy, is he going to be sorry!.
[C13 (in the sense: male servant; C14: young male): of uncertain origin; perhaps from Anglo-French abuié fettered (unattested), from Latin boia fetter]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
boy
(bɔɪ)n.
1. a male child, from birth to full growth.
2. a young man who lacks maturity, judgment, etc.
3. Informal. a grown man, esp. when referred to familiarly.
4. a son.
5. a male who is from or native to a given place: He's a country boy.
6. boys, (used with a sing. or pl. v.)
a. a range of sizes from 8 to 20 in garments for boys.
b. a garment in this range.
7. Disparaging and Offensive. (a contemptuous term used to refer to or address a man considered to be inferior in race, nationality, or occupational status.)
8. Usually Offensive. (a term used to refer to or address a male servant or domestic employee.)
interj. 9. (an exclamation of wonder, approval, etc., or of displeasure or contempt.)
[1250–1300; Middle English boy(e), bye servant, commoner, boy; of obscure orig.]
usage: Definition 8, usually referring to nonwhites, is used with disparaging intent and is perceived as insulting. It is used most often to emphasize the speaker's low opinion of the person referred to. Definition 9, less common today, was originally used in colonial territories such as India to refer to a native male servant.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  boy - a youthful male person; "the baby was a boy"; "she made the boy brush his teeth every night"; "most soldiers are only boys in uniform"male person, male - a person who belongs to the sex that cannot have babies altar boy - a boy serving as an acolyte ball boy - a boy who retrieves balls for tennis players bat boy - (baseball) a boy who takes care of bats and other baseball equipment farm boy - a boy who has grown up on a farm Fauntleroy, Little Lord Fauntleroy - an excessively polite and well-dressed boy schoolboy - a boy attending school Scout - a Boy Scout or Girl Scout shop boy - a young male shop assistant female child, little girl, girl - a youthful female person; "the baby was a girl"; "the girls were just learning to ride a tricycle" |
| 2. | boy - a friendly informal reference to a grown man; "he likes to play golf with the boys" broth of a boy, broth of a man - an outstanding person; as if produced by boiling down a savory broth adult male, man - an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman); "there were two women and six men on the bus" one of the boys - a man who has been socially accepted into a group of other men; "he quickly became one of the boys" | |
| 3. |  boy - a male human offspring; "their son became a famous judge"; "his boy is taller than he is"male offspring, man-child - a child who is male mama's boy, mamma's boy, mother's boy - a boy excessively attached to his mother; lacking normal masculine interests | |
| 4. | boy - (ethnic slur) offensive and disparaging term for Black man; "get out of my way, boy" depreciation - a communication that belittles somebody or something ethnic slur - a slur on someone's race or language Black man - a man who is Black |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
boy
noun lad, kid (informal), youth, fellow, youngster, chap (informal), schoolboy, junior, laddie (Scot.), stripling I knew him when he was just a little boy.
Proverbs
"Never send a boy to do a man's job"
"Boys will be boys"
"Never send a boy to do a man's job"
"Boys will be boys"
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
boy
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
момче
home
chlapechochkamelotkluk-kluk
drengfyrknægtdrengene=-dreng
knabo
poiss
poikapojatheppu
dječakmomak
feketeférfifiúszolga
puero
laki-lakipria
drengurstrákurvikapiltur
少年
소년젊은이
adulescenspuer
berniukasdraugaskokį nors darbą dirbantis vaikinasvaikystė
avīžpuika/iznēsātājskovbojszēns
băiatfiu
chlapeckamelot
dečekfant
killepojkegossegrabb
เด็กชายเด็กหนุ่ม
oğlanoğlan çocuğubir iş yapan erkek çocukdelikanlıerkek çocuk
козачок
chàng traicon trai
boy
[bɔɪ]A. N
1. (= small) → niño m; (= young man) → muchacho m, chico m, joven m (LAm); (= son) → hijo m
oh boy! → ¡vaya!
I have known him from a boy → lo conozco desde chico
to send a boy to do a man's job → mandar a un muchacho a hacer un trabajo de hombre
boys will be boys → ¡los hombres, ya se sabe, son como niños!
see also old C
oh boy! → ¡vaya!
I have known him from a boy → lo conozco desde chico
to send a boy to do a man's job → mandar a un muchacho a hacer un trabajo de hombre
boys will be boys → ¡los hombres, ya se sabe, son como niños!
see also old C
2. (= fellow) → chico m, hijo m
that's the boy!; that's my boy! → ¡bravo!
but my dear boy! → ¡pero hijo!, ¡pero hombre!
García and his boys in the national team → García y sus muchachos del equipo nacional
he's out with the boys → ha salido con los amigos
he's one of the boys now → ahora es un personaje
the boys in blue (Brit) → la policía
see also job A1
that's the boy!; that's my boy! → ¡bravo!
but my dear boy! → ¡pero hijo!, ¡pero hombre!
García and his boys in the national team → García y sus muchachos del equipo nacional
he's out with the boys → ha salido con los amigos
he's one of the boys now → ahora es un personaje
the boys in blue (Brit) → la policía
see also job A1
3. (= servant) → criado m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
boy
[ˈbɔɪ]Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
boy
n
(= male child) → Junge m, → Bub m (dial); bad or naughty boy! → du frecher Bengel; (to animal) → böser Hund! etc; sit, boy! (to dog) → sitz!; the Jones boy → der Junge von Jones; boys will be boys → Jungen sind nun mal so; a school for boys → eine Jungenschule; good morning, boys → guten Morgen(, Jungs)! ? old boy
(inf: = fellow) → Knabe m (inf); the old boy (= boss) → der Alte (inf); (= father) → mein etc alter Herr
(= friend) the boys → meine/seine Kumpels; our boys (= team) → unsere Jungs; jobs for the boys → Vetternwirtschaft f
boy
:boyfriend
n → Freund m
boy
:boy scout
n → Pfadfinder m
Boy Scouts
n sing → Pfadfinder pl
boy toy
n (inf, pej)
(= woman) junge, sexuell anziehende Frau
(= man) junger, besonders für ältere Frauen attraktiver Mann
boy wonder
n (inf) → Wunderkind nt, → Wunderknabe m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
boy
[bɔɪ] n → ragazzo; (small) → bambino; (son) → figlio; (servant) → servoshe had a boy → ha avuto un maschio
school for boys → scuola maschile
when I was a boy → quand'ero piccolo
boys will be boys → che vuoi, sono maschi
he's out with the boys → è fuori con gli amici
old boy → vecchio mio
my dear boy → mio caro
oh boy! → mamma mia!
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
boy
(boi) noun1. a male child. She has three girls and one boy.
2. (as part of another word) a male (often adult) who does a certain job. a cowboy; a paper-boy.
ˈboyhood noun the time of being a boy. a happy boyhood; (also adjective) boyhood memories.
ˈboyfriend noun a girl's favourite male friend.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
boy
→ صَبِيُّ, وَلَد chlapec dreng, fyr Bursche, Junge αγόρι, παλληκάρι muchacho, niño heppu, poika garçon, gars dječak, momak ragazzo 少年 소년, 젊은이 jongen gutt, unggutt chłopak, chłopiec menino, moço, rapaz мальчик, парень kille, pojke เด็กชาย, เด็กหนุ่ม delikanlı, oğlan çocuğu chàng trai, con trai 少年, 男孩Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
boy
n. niño, muchacho.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
boy
n niño, muchacho, chicoEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.