Where does “houseboy” come from?

houseboy (Cebuano) comes from English houseboy, from English boy, from Middle English boye, from Old English bōia, from Proto-Germanic bōjô, from Proto-Germanic bō-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰā- — to say.

houseboy (Cebuano): An errand boy; a houseboy

Definitions

  1. An errand boy; a houseboy

Ancestry of “houseboy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhouseboyA male domestic servant
2EnglishboyA young male; A male child: a son of any age; A...
3Middle Englishboyeservant, commoner, knave, boy
4Old Englishbōiaboy
5Proto-Germanicbōjôyounger brother, young male relation
6Proto-Germanicbō-A stem meaning "father, brother, close male...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰā-to say
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰā-Every word from Proto-Germanic bō-Every word from Proto-Germanic bōjô