English word boy comes from Frankish *baukan (Sign, signal.), Gaulish *bowā, Proto-Indo-European *bʰāt-
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *baukan | Frankish (frk) | Sign, signal. |
| *bowā | Gaulish (cel-gau) | |
| *bʰāt- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | father, (elder) brother, father, elder brother, brother |
| *bō- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | A stem meaning father, brother, close male relation. |
| bue | Old French (fro) | |
| *bōjô | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| *baba | Old English (ang) | |
| boye | Middle Dutch (dum) | |
| *bōia | Old English (ang) | |
| boye | Middle English (enm) | |
| boy | English (en) | (transitive) to act as a boy (in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage). To use the word boy to refer to someone Exclamation of surprise, pleasure or longing. (US, slang) Heroin. [from 20th c.]. (affectionate, diminutive) A male of any age, particularly one rather younger than the speaker. [from 17th c.]. (diminutive) A male child: a son of any age.. [...] |