Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “callboy” come from?

callboy (English) comes from English call, from Middle English callen, from Old English ceallian, from Proto-West Germanic *kalʀōn, from Proto-Germanic kalzōną, from Proto-Germanic kalzaz, from Proto-Indo-European gols-, from Proto-Indo-European gels- — voice, cry; to call; voice, cry; to call.

callboy (English): A male prostitute; A bellhop; A boy or man who...

Definitions

  1. A male prostitute; A bellhop; A boy or man who...

Ancestry of “callboy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcallA telephone conversation; a phone call; An...
2Middle Englishcallen—
3Old Englishceallianto call; to cry out, shout
4Proto-West Germanic*kalʀōn—
5Proto-Germanickalzōnąto call, shout
6Proto-Germanickalzaz—
7Proto-Indo-Europeangols-—
8Proto-Indo-Europeangels-voice, cry; to call; voice, cry; to call

Words derived from “callboy”

  • kolboy
  • callboy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gels- →