Where does “unboyfriend” come from?
unboyfriend (English) comes from English boyfriend, 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.
unboyfriend (English): A man who is not one's boyfriend
Definitions
- A man who is not one's boyfriend
Ancestry of “unboyfriend”, step by step
unboyfriend traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English boyfriend
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boyfriend | A male partner in an unmarried romantic... |
| 2 | English | boy | A young male; A male child: a son of any age; A... |
| 3 | Middle English | boye | servant, commoner, knave, boy |
| 4 | Old English | bōia | boy |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bōjô | younger brother, young male relation |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bō- | A stem meaning "father, brother, close male... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰā- | to say |
via English un
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | un | One |