boy

Overview

Meaning Now

• A male child or adolescent.
• A young man, typically used to refer to someone with whom one is familiar.

Journey

The word appeared in Middle English with a sense suggesting a low-ranking male servant or a term of contempt. Over several centuries, it lost the inherent connotation of low status, gradually becoming the standard neutral term for a male child.

Evolution

1. 13th century

   boye

   “servant or knave”

   Often used in a derogatory or demeaning sense for a man of low rank.

2. 16th century

   boy

   “male child”

   The meaning shifted from 'servant' to specifically a 'young male'.

Connections

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