n.
- A male child.
- A son: his youngest boy.
- Often Offensive. A man, especially a young man.
- Informal. A man socializing in a group of men: a night out with the boys.
- Offensive. A male servant or employee.
Used to express mild astonishment, elation, or disgust: Oh boy-what a surprise!
[Middle English boi, possibly from Old French embuié, servant, past participle of embuier, to fetter.]
boyhood boy'hood' n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
