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Glite Dictionary
delivery boy

delivery boy

26 2.2
A young man who delivers food and packages to homes by bicycle or motorbike
  • noun
  • /dɪˈlɪvəri bɔɪ/
  • Informal
translation icon : repartidor
  • The delivery boy carefully rode his bicycle through the busy streets to bring the food to the customer.
  • pizza delivery boy
  • newspaper delivery boy
  • grocery delivery boy

So I was a delivery boy, right?

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Examples

  • By the time I get out of the shower, the delivery boy will be ringing the bell.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Ten seconds later, her face glistening with moisturizer, she answered the door for the delivery boy.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • So he sent out another delivery boy.

    Slashening: The Final Beginning (2021)

  • The Times delivery boy will not listen to me when I tell him where to place the paper.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Where did that delivery boy go?

    Fiction book (1999)

  • Mr. Fisher needs a delivery boy.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Missus, the delivery boy is here.

    Songbird (2020)

  • He's just a delivery boy.

    The Peacemaker (1997)

  • I became a delivery boy for a grocery store named Roulston's.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • When the delivery boy rings the doorbell at six p.m., Hoot jumps in his chair at the breakfast table.

    Fiction book (1994)

Synonyms

courier
vsdelivery boy
94 3.8

A person who carries and delivers messages or packages

is more about a young local goods carrier often using bicycle or motorbike
deliveryman
vsdelivery boy
5 1.4

A person who brings packages or food to people's homes

is a younger worker often delivering by bicycle or motorbike
deliverer
vsdelivery boy
1 2.7

A person who brings packages to homes or businesses

focuses on a young male worker rather than a general delivery role
deliverywoman
vsdelivery boy
3.5

A woman who brings packages to people's homes or shops

is a younger male worker often delivering by bicycle or motorbike

Surface Forms

delivery boy singular
delivery boys plural

Morphology

delivery + boy

The meaning 'a boy employed to deliver goods' is directly and compositionally derived from 'delivery' (the act of delivering goods) combined with 'boy' (a young male). This noun+noun/agentive pattern is common in English and across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Delivery boy comes from the simple picture of a young person, a boy, who makes deliveries by bike or motorbike and brings food or packages to a customer's door. So the phrase means 'a boy or young man paid to take goods to customers'.