Where does “tomboy” come from?
Tomboy is a compound of English tom, from English Tom (a name), and English boy, ultimately tracing through Classical Nahuatl tomatl to Proto-Indo-European roots.
tomboy (English): A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner;...
Definitions
- A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner;...
Ancestry of “tomboy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | tom | The male of the domesticated cat; The male of the... |
| 2 | Middle English | Thomme | — |
| 3 | Middle English | Thomas | — |
| 4 | Latin | Thōmās | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Θωμᾶς | — |
| 6 | Aramaic | תאומא | twin; Thomas |
| 7 | Aramaic | תאמא | twin, double; Gemini |
Words derived from “tomboy”