Boyfriend etymology

English

English word boyfriend comes from English friend, English boy

Etymology of boyfriend

Detailed word origin of boyfriend

Dictionary entry Language Definition
friend English (en) (transitive) To add (a person) to a list of friends on a social networking site; to officially designate (someone) as a friend.. (transitive, obsolete) To act as a friend to, to befriend; to be friendly to, to help. (climbing) A spring-loaded camming device.. (colloquial, ironic, used only in the vocative) Used as a form of address when warning someone.. (informal) An object or idea that can [...]
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 (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.. (historical, military) A former low rank of various [...]
boyfriend English (en) A male friend.. A male partner in an unmarried romantic relationship.

Words with the same origin as boyfriend

Descendants of boy

bo