Where does “doorboy” come from?

doorboy (English) comes 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.

doorboy (English): A young doorman

Definitions

  1. A young doorman

Ancestry of “doorboy”, step by step

doorboy traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English boy

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishboyA young male; A male child: a son of any age; A...
2Middle Englishboyeservant, commoner, knave, boy
3Old Englishbōiaboy
4Proto-Germanicbōjôyounger brother, young male relation
5Proto-Germanicbō-A stem meaning "father, brother, close male...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰā-to say

via English door

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdoorA portal of entry into a building, room, or...
2Middle EnglishdoreA door or gate structure barring an entrance
3Old Englishdorabumblebee
4Proto-Germanicdurôbumblebee, humming insect
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰā-Every word from Proto-Germanic bō-Every word from Proto-Germanic bōjô