Where does “boyhood” come from?

Boyhood derives from Middle English -hod, Middle Dutch boeye, Proto-Germanic haiduz, Latin boia, and Proto-Indo-European bʰā-, tracing ultimately to Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂- and gʷōws.

boyhood (English): The state or period of being a boy

Definitions

  1. The state or period of being a boy

Ancestry of “boyhood”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-hoodA substantive suffix denoting a condition or...
2Middle English-hedeAffixed to nouns and adjectives to form nouns...
3Old English-hād-hood
4Proto-West Germanic-haiduhood
5Proto-Germanichaiduzmanner, way; personality, character; appearance
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kayt-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kayt- →
boyhood — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer