boy

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   (ethnic slur) offensive and disparaging term for Black man

   get out of my way, boy

2. 2
   noun

   a friendly informal reference to a grown man

   My boss likes to play golf with the boys.

3. 3
   noun

   a youthful male person

   the baby was a boy

4. 4
   noun

   A male child.

   Kieran plays football with other boys in his school.

5. 5
   noun

   A young man.

   Kate is dating a boy named Jim.

6. 6
   noun

   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.

7. 7
   noun

   A male human of any age, as opposed to a "girl" (female human of any age).

   boys' club

8. 8
   noun

   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?

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰā- Proto-Germanic *bō- Proto-West Germanic *bōjō Old English *bōia Middle English boye English boy 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 Englis…