Where does “boy” come from?
boy (Middle English) comes from Middle Dutch boeye, from Old French boie, from Latin boia, from Ancient Greek βοείη, from Ancient Greek βοῦς, from Latin corvus, from Proto-Italic korwos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂wós — army.
Ancestry of “boy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | boeye | life buoy; float, buoy; shackle, fetter |
| 2 | Old French | boie | bond, chain; fetter, chain, clog |
| 3 | Latin | boia | fetter, collar for the neck |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βοείη | ox hide |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | βοῦς | cow, ox, cattle; shield: ὃτι ἐκ βοείων ἐστι... |
| 6 | Latin | corvus | A raven; a bird associated with prophecy and... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | korwos | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱorh₂wós | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |