How do you use the word "boy" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "boy": This is the boy I think about. Now that you are a big boy, you may do as you please.

Boy Meaning

/bɔɪ/

Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

nounA male child.

nounA young man.

Sentence Examples

This is the boy I think about.

Now that you are a big boy, you may do as you please.

Hunger compelled the boy to steal money from the cash register.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

son

Antonyms:

girl daughter

CEFR Practice Quiz

The young ____ helped his father carry the groceries from the car.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

The young ____ was playing with his toy cars on the living room floor.

Word Origin & History

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰā- Proto-Germanic *bō- Proto-West Germanic *bōjō Old English *bōia Middle English boye English boy From Middle English boy /boye (“servant, commoner, knave, boy”), from Old English *bōia (“boy”), from Proto-West Germanic *bōjō, from Proto-Germanic *bōjô (“younger brother, young male relation”), from Proto-Germanic *bō- (“brother, close male relation”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰā-, *bʰāt- (“father, elder brother, brother”). Cognate with Scots boy (“boy”), West Frisian boai (“boy”), Dutch boi (“boy”), Low German Boi (“boy”), and probably to the Old English proper name Bōia. Also related to West Flemish boe (“brother”), Norwegian dialectal boa (“brother”), Dutch boef (“rogue, knave”), Bavarian Bua (“young boy, lad”), German Bube ("boy; knave; jack"; > English bub), Icelandic bófi (“rogue, crook, bandit, knave”), Lombard bagaj. See also bully.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"The ſtretes of the cite alſo ſhalbe full of yonge boyes and damſelles, playnge vpon the ſtretes." — 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Zachary [Zechariah] viij:[5], folio xcix, recto, column 2:

"I find I was mistaken in the sex, it is a boy." — 1711 March 17 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Jonathan Swift, “[Dr. Swift’s Journal to Stella.] Letter XVII.”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XIV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 371:

"Ah! happy years! once more who would not be a boy?" — 1812, Lord Byron, “Canto II”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. A Romaunt, London: […] [F]or John Murray, […]; William Blackwood, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; by Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, stanza XXIII, page 72:

""He is not quite a baby, Alfred," said Ellen, "though he is only a big stupid boy. We have made him miserable enough. Let us leave him alone."" — 1876, Frances Eliza Millett Notley, “A Tale of Love”, in The Kiddle-a-Wink, page 168:

"Girls were offered baby dolls, princesses and sexy fashion figures; the boys section had superheroes, building blocks, science kits and dinosaurs." — 2014 January 31, Kelly Wallace, “Pink, princess-y and sexy too soon”, in CNN:

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