Definition of “boy” - English Dictionary

American
Contents

“boy” in English

See all translations

boynoun [ C ]

uk ​ /bɔɪ/ us ​ /bɔɪ/

A1 a male child or, more generally, a male of any age:

a teenage/adolescent boy
As a young boy, my father used to walk three miles to school.
You've been a very naughty boy!
Their little boy (= their young son) is very sick.
All right, boys and girls, settle down!
the boys B2 [ plural ]

› a group of male friends:

He used to like spending Friday nights with the boys.

› also our boys an approving way of speaking about your country's soldiers:

We must not forget our boys serving far from home.
one of the boys

› a typical male:

He plays baseball, drinks a lot of beer and generally acts like one of the boys.

More examples

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Idiom(s)

boys will be boys
my (dear) boy
the boys in blue

boyexclamation

uk ​ /bɔɪ/ us ​ /bɔɪ/ also oh boy mainly US informal

(Definition of “boy” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“boy” in American English

See all translations

boynoun [ C ]

us ​ /bɔɪ/

› a male child or, more generally, a male of any age:

Some boys were playing basketball in the schoolyard.

› Boy sometimes means son:

We have two children – a boy and a girl.

Idiom(s)

(Oh) boy!

(Definition of “boy” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“BOY” in Business English

See all translations

BOYnoun [ U ]

uk ​ us ​ ACCOUNTING, FINANCE

› abbreviation for beginning of year

(Definition of “BOY” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of “boy”
 
Need a translator?

Translator tool

Get a quick, free translation!

What is the pronunciation of boy?
Browse