Boy etymology

English

English word boy comes from Frankish *baukan (Sign, signal.), Gaulish *bowā, Proto-Indo-European *bʰāt-

Detailed word origin of boy

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.. [...]

Words with the same origin as boy

Descendants of *baukan

boyfriend homie

Descendants of *bʰāt-

babe baby bandit bo bub