Schoolboy

/ˈskuːlbɔɪ/ noun

Definition

A boy who attends school, especially during his teenage years.

Etymology

A compound word combining 'school' (from Greek 'skhole,' meaning 'leisure' or 'place of learning') and 'boy' (from Old English 'boia,' of unclear origin), commonly used since the 1600s.

Kelly Says

The term 'schoolboy error' comes from the idea that even a young school-aged boy would know better, making it slang for embarrassingly basic mistakes that professionals shouldn't make.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Gendered default: 'schoolboy' linguistically presumes male unless specified otherwise; paired asymmetrically with 'schoolgirl' rather than treated as gender-neutral.

Inclusive Usage

Use 'student' or 'schoolchild' for neutrality; reserve 'schoolboy' only when gender-specificity is relevant and intentional.

Inclusive Alternatives

["student","schoolchild","young student"]

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.