Etimology
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”). See also bully.
noun
boy (countable and uncountable, plural boys)
A young male human. [from 15th c.]
(diminutive) A son of any age.
(endearing, diminutive) A male human younger than the speaker. [from 17th c.]
(obsolete) A male of low station, (especially as pejorative) a worthless male, a wretch; a mean and dishonest male, a knave. [14th–17th c.]
(now rare and usually offensive outside some Commonwealth nations) A male servant, slave, assistant, or employee, [from 14th c.] particularly:
(now offensive) Any non-white male, regardless of age. [from 19th c.]
(informal, especially with a possessive) A male friend.
(BDSM) A male submissive.
A male non-human animal, especially, in affectionate address, a male pet, especially a dog. [from 15th c.]
(historical, military) A former low rank of various armed services; a holder of this rank.
(US, slang, uncountable) Heroin. [from 20th c.]
(somewhat childish) A male (tree, gene, etc).
Examples
Kate is dating a boy named Jim.
Bye or boye: Bostio.
The stretes of the citie shalbe full of yonge boyes and damselles...
I find I was mistaken in the sex, 'tis a boy.
Ah! happy years! once more who would not be a boy?
"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."
My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee.
Dost thou call me fool, boy?
He allowed his ‘boy’ - an overfed young negro from the coast - to treat the white men, under his very eyes, with provoking insolence.
‘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.
I resolved to continue in the Cave, with my two Servants, my Maid, and a Boy, whom I had brought from France.
My Boy Stephen Grauener.
They picked out two of the strongest of the Boys about the place.
The blacks who work on a station or farm are always, like the blacks in the Southern States, called boys.
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.
[In Shanghai,] The register clerk assigns you to a room, and instead of ‘Front!’ he shouts ‘Boy!’
He thrust his head into the aisle. "Boy!" A Chinese in a white coat responded listlessly. "What will you have? Beer?"
Aborigine Wally... described himself as ‘number one boy’ at the station.
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.
Godes plud kil the boyes and the lugyge,Tis the arrants peece of knauery […]
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.
Every darky, however old, is a boy.
[In Alabama,] Guards still use the term ‘boy’ to refer to Black prisoners.
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.
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.
C'mere, boy! Good boy! Who's a good boy?
Are you getting a boy cat or a girl cat?
Wounded... 1 Boy, 1st class, severely.
He joined the Navy as a boy second class in 1898.
[…] 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.
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 ...
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.
Related words
synonyms
(young male): See Thesaurus:boy
(diminutive term of address to males): chap, guy, lad, mate
(son): See son
(male servant): manservant
(disreputable man): brat, knave, squirt
(heroin): See Thesaurus:heroin
antonyms
(antonym(s) of "young male"): See Thesaurus:girl
interjection
boy
Exclamation of surprise, pleasure or longing.
Examples
Boy, that was close!
Boy, that tastes good!
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.
Related words
related terms
oh boy
verb
boy (third-person singular simple present boys, present participle boying, simple past and past participle boyed)
(transitive) To act as a boy (in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage).
Examples
I shall see some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness.