bootboy
1
9.9
A young person who cleans and cares for boots in a house or the army
- noun
- /ˈbuːtˌbɔɪ/
- Archaic
:
limpiabotas
- The bootboy polished the officer's boots until they shone brightly.
Examples
-
There were two footmen, both six feet tall and nicely matched, a butler, a valet, a bootboy, and outside, two grooms and a coachman.
Fiction book (1990) -
In the grand mansion, the bootboy was responsible for keeping all the footwear in pristine condition.
-
During the parade, the bootboy stood proudly in uniform, ready to serve the soldiers.
Synonyms
2
8.5
A person who shines shoes and boots for money
is a young household or military servant rather than a paid street worker
9.9
A boy who shines or cleans shoes, often in the past
is used for boys working in households or military settings
9.9
A person who cleans and shines shoes on street corners
is found in households or military settings rather than public street work
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word bootboy is made from the words boot and boy. It originally named a young worker who cleaned and cared for 'boots' in a house or the army, so today's meaning comes from that job.