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boy

boy

7.4
An informal, friendly way to refer to a group of friends who are men
  • noun
  • /bɔɪ/
  • Informal
translation icon : chico
  • I called my friends over for a barbecue, and the boys had a great time catching up.
  • an old boy

And that is when your boy GC got rich.

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Examples

  • One week later, the boys are back in town.

  • And what did I say about you boys calling me "sir"?

  • It's the next day, the boys are playing football.

  • I do it through exercise time with my boys, trying to eat clean.

  • Well, guess what, boys, today the human lost.

  • Hang on, boys and girls, 'cause this part gets even better...

  • Alright give the boys the signal.

  • One of the boys stood near me right now.

  • And I'm sure you boys share that faith and confidence.

  • For most of the lesson, all of the boys showed that they were eager to learn.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

guy
vsboy
  • Informal
1.0

An informal word for a man or boy

is friendlier and often used to name a tight group of friends collectively
lad
vsboy
  • UK
618 1.1

People use it for a boy or young man when they speak in a friendly way

is applied to adult friends rather than to younger or adolescent males
fella
vsboy
  • Informal
377 8.1

A man or boy used in informal speech

is used more for friendly group references rather than general informal naming
feller
vsboy
  • Informal
18 8.2

An informal word for a man or boy

is normally preferred when speaking of several close friends collectively
laddie
vsboy
  • UK
16 8.6

A friendly name for a boy or young man often used in Scotland

is the familiar collective address for grown male friends rather than youthful term
chappy
vsboy
  • UK
4 9.5

A friendly word for a man or boy

is used collectively for a group of close male friends rather than individually
boyo
vsboy
  • Slang
1 9.9

A friendly informal word from Ireland and Wales for a boy or man

is applied to groups of familiar male friends rather than just endearing address
chappie
vsboy
  • UK
1 8.8

A friendly informal word for a man or boy in Britain

is used to address a close group of familiar males rather than general term
chico
vsboy
  • Informal
1 8.4

A man or boy you call in a friendly way

is used to refer to a group of close friends rather than single addressee

Antonyms

1.0

Adult females considered together as a group

Idioms

boy howdy
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A loud excited word people say to show surprise or strong feeling

boy in the boat
  • Informal
9.9

A person who feels alone and confused, often singled out by others to fill a special role

Compounds

good boy
  • Baby Talk
144 1.0

A child or dog who behaves well and gets praise

big boy
  • Informal
126 5.3

A grown person who is more independent and responsible, said playfully

bad boy
  • Informal
108 6.1

A man who breaks rules and seems exciting but causes trouble

81 1.0

A very young male child

old boy
  • UK
42 8.0

A friendly way to call a man you know well

old boy
  • UK
34 7.6

A man who once went to a school, often a private school

pretty boy
  • Informal
34 5.5

A young man who has a delicate, attractive face

29 1.8

A worldwide group that teaches boys outdoor skills like camping and good citizenship

delivery boy
  • Informal
26 2.2

A young man who delivers food and packages to homes by bicycle or motorbike

23 3.6

A boy who helps a priest during church services

mama's boy
  • Offensive
21 7.2

A person who depends too much on their mother and does not make their own decisions

21 5.5

A man people see as a perfect example of something

college boy
  • Informal
21 3.0

A man who studies or once studied at college

18 1.7

A boy who grew up living and working on a farm

17 3.2

A young person paid to do small tasks such as delivering messages and packages

15 4.5

A man or boy who lives in a city and often dresses in smart clothes

15 2.8

A boy who belongs to a youth group that teaches outdoor skills and helps the community

sonny boy
  • Archaic
11 8.2

A friendly name adults use for a young boy

10 9.1

A white man often in the southern US who is friendly but supports his group and resists change

9 8.1

A person who is blamed or punished for other people's mistakes

7 9.9

A white man from the southern US who is friendly but often has unfair views and favors other men

7 5.6

A young person who is unusually talented for their age

7 3.1

A person who gives water to players during a game

messenger boy
  • Archaic
6 2.3

A boy who delivers messages and does small jobs for a business

old boy
  • Informal
5 7.2

An older man who is lively and full of energy

cabin boy
  • Archaic
4 6.5

A young boy who works on a ship and helps officers and passengers

4 2.8

A boy who picks up and gives balls to players during a tennis match

daddy's boy
  • Offensive
3 7.9

A boy or man who depends too much on his father

bat boy
  • US
3 5.2

A boy who takes care of bats and other equipment for a baseball team

A national United States organization that teaches young people character, citizenship, and leadership through scouting

old boy network
  • Literature
3 7.9

Men from the same schools who use connections to help each other get jobs and often keep others out

2 2.2

A young person in a group who learns camping, first aid and how to help others

Teddy boy
  • Archaic
2 9.9

A young British man in the 1950s and 1960s who wore long jackets and narrow trousers and acted rebellious

2 5.9

A young man who appears on a magazine front cover as a fashion model

boy scout
  • Informal
1 7.6

A person who is too innocent about how the world works and trusts others easily

office boy
  • Archaic
1 2.6

A young man who does simple office tasks like running errands and delivering messages

shop boy
  • Archaic
1 2.7

A young man who helps customers in a store

elevator boy
  • Archaic
1 8.2

A young man who operates an elevator in a hotel or office building

A person other people like more and treat better

monkey boy
  • Informal
1 8.2

A boy who is playful, energetic and a little naughty

1 9.9

A white man from the southern US who is friendly, loyal to his group, and sometimes intolerant

1 7.8

A young person who works in a meat shop and helps cut and wrap meat

grocery boy
  • Archaic
1 2.0

A boy or young man who delivers food and other items from a shop

A young man who has a lot of money but feels lonely or unhappy

teddy boy
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A young man in 1950s Britain who wore clothes from the early 1900s and liked rock and roll

boy Friday
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A man who helps someone by doing many different tasks

fuck boy
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A man who has casual sex without wanting a relationship and often uses people

mamma's boy
  • Offensive
1 8.1

A person who depends too much on their mother and cannot make their own decisions

mother's boy
  • Offensive
1 7.5

A man or boy who depends too much on his mother and cannot make decisions alone

1 3.9

A young man who serves in the navy

barrow boy
  • Archaic
8.6

A young person who sells goods from a small handcart in a market

barrow-boy
  • Archaic
9.6

A man who sells fruit and vegetables from a small cart in the street

bendy-boy
  • Informal
9.9

A person, often a performer, who can move their body into unusual shapes

boy mom
  • Informal
9.1

A mother who has only sons and enjoys sports and play with them

9.9

A lively, very clever boy who is kind and fun

Chelsea boy
  • Archaic
9.8

A fashionable young man from Chelsea in London who wears stylish clothes and acts confident

bad boy image
  • Informal
6.3

An attractive look of not following rules, often in men

backroom boy
  • Archaic
8.4

A person who gives expert advice and makes decisions behind the scenes

A young boy who walks in a wedding scattering petals

flower boy
  • Informal
7.6

A young man admired for soft, pretty looks and stylish clothes, often in fashion or pop culture

9.9

An illegal drug used at parties that makes people sleepy and dizzy

5.3

A large sandwich made from a long crusty roll filled with meat and cheese

scally boy
  • Slang
9.9

A boy who often causes trouble and is cheeky

soy boy
  • Slur
9.9

An insulting word for a man seen as weak or not masculine, often used online

wolf boy
  • Literature
9.9

A boy believed to have been raised by wolves who behaves like a wild animal

Surface Forms

boy singular
boys plural

Etymology

Boy (often in the phrase 'the boys') is used informally to mean a group of male friends, like saying 'guys' or 'mates'. This friendly sense comes from the word's basic idea of a young man and is now a casual name for a group.