a stupid mistake; slang for erection
from 'bone' plus suffix '-er', originally meaning something hard
A boner is a bone-headed mistake that makes you feel stiff with embarrassment!
While 'boner' has anatomical origin, slang use is coded male and often tied to male sexuality; the word assumes male-centered perspective on arousal.
In anatomical context, use 'penile erection' for clarity; in slang, context-dependent but inherently gendered.
["mistake","error","anatomically specific term"]
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