A boy is a young male human, usually child or adolescent. When he becomes an adult he's described as a man. The most apparent thing that differentiates a boy from a girl is that a boy typically has a penis while girls do not. However some intersex children with ambiguous genitals, and biologically female transgender children, may also be classified or self-identify as a "boy".
The term "boy" is primarily used to indicate biological sex distinctions, cultural gender role distinctions or both. The latter most commonly applies to adult men, either considered in some way immature or inferior, in a position associated with aspects of boyhood, or even without such boyish connotation as age-indiscriminate synonym. The term can be joined with a variety of other words to form these gender-related labels as compound words.
Read more about Boy: Etymology, Overview, Specific Uses and Compounds, Non-function Specific Analogous Terms, Analogous Uses and Popular Etymology, Boys in Art, Gallery
Famous quotes containing the word boy:
“For a boy to reach adulthood feeling that he knows his father, his father must allow his emotions to be visible—hardly an easy task when most males grow up being either subtly or openly taught that this is not acceptable behavior. A father must teach his son that masculinity and feelings can go hand in hand.”
—Kyle D. Pruett (20th century)
“A quiet well-behaved boy is likely to be both frightened and ambitious.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“This same young sober-blooded boy doth not love me, nor a man
cannot make him laugh, but that’s no marvel, he drinks no
wine.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)