Where does “char-boy” come from?
char-boy (English) comes from English char, from English cha, from Hindi चा, from Persian چا, from Chinese 茶, from Proto-Loloish la¹, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan s-la — leaf; tea; flat object.
char-boy (English): A young male employed to do housework or other odd jobs
Definitions
- A young male employed to do housework or other odd jobs
Ancestry of “char-boy”, step by step
char-boy traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English char
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | char | To burn something to charcoal; To burn slightly... |
| 2 | English | cha | tea, sometimes specifically masala chai; You;... |
| 3 | Hindi | चा | Alternative form of चाय |
| 4 | Persian | چا | tea |
| 5 | Chinese | 茶 | tea |
| 6 | Proto-Loloish | la¹ | tea |
| 7 | Proto-Sino-Tibetan | s-la | leaf; tea; flat object |
via English boy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boy | A young male; A male child: a son of any age; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | boye | servant, commoner, knave, boy |
| 3 | Old English | bōia | boy |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bōjô | younger brother, young male relation |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bō- | A stem meaning "father, brother, close male... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰā- | to say |