Definition of 'boy'
Word forms: plural boys
2. countable noun
You can refer to a young man as a boy, especially when talking about relationships between boys and girls.
3. countable noun [usually poss NOUN]
4. countable noun
[informal, feelings]
6. See also backroom boy, blue-eyed boy, bully-boy, head boy, messenger boy, office boy, old boy, stable boy, Teddy boy
7.
See the boys in blue
8.
See boy/oh boy
9.
10.
See one of the boys
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
boy in British English
noun
2.
he's just a boy when it comes to dealing with real problems
3. See old boy
4. See the boys
5. old-fashioned, usually derogatory
7. short for boyfriend
8. See boys will be boys
9. See jobs for the boys
10. See the boy
exclamation
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C13 (in the sense: male servant; C14: young male): of uncertain origin; perhaps from
Anglo-French abuié fettered (unattested), from Latin boia fetter
Word Frequency
boy in American English
noun
2.
a man regarded as immature or callow
5.
a bellboy, messenger boy, etc.
6. Informal
a son
Mrs. Dill's oldest boy
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
boy in American English
(bɔi)
noun
3. informal
a grown man, esp. when referred to familiarly
He liked to play poker with the boys
4.
a son
Sam's oldest boy is helping him in the business
5.
a male who is from or native to a given place
6. See boys
7. See boys
8. derogatory, offensive
9.
a young male servant; page
10. offensive (in India, China, Japan, etc.)
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1250–1300; ME boy(e), perh. after OE Bōia man's name; c. Fris boi young man; akin to OE bōfa, ON bōfi, OHG Buobo man's name (G Bube knave, (dial.) boy, lad)]Trends of
boy
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Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
boy
- American English: boy /ˈbɔɪ/
- Arabic: وَلَد
- Brazilian Portuguese: menino
- Chinese: 男孩
- Croatian: dječak
- Czech: chlapec
- Danish: dreng
- Dutch: jongen
- European Spanish: niño
- Finnish: poika
- French: garçon
- German: Junge
- Greek: αγόρι
- Italian: ragazzo
- Japanese: 少年
- Korean: 소년
- Norwegian: gutt
- Polish: chłopiec
- European Portuguese: menino
- Romanian: băiat
- Russian: мальчик
- Latin American Spanish: muchacho
- Swedish: pojke
- Thai: เด็กชาย
- Turkish: oğlan çocuğu
- Ukrainian: хлопчик
- Vietnamese: con trai nam
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boy
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Definition of boy from the Collins English Dictionary
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