boy

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A male child.
2. n. A son: his youngest boy.
3. n. Often Offensive A man, especially a young man.
4. n. Informal A man socializing in a group of men: a night out with the boys.
5. n. Offensive A male servant or employee.
6. interj. Used to express mild astonishment, elation, or disgust: Oh boy—what a surprise!

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A male child, from birth to full growth, but especially from the end of infancy to the beginning of youth: also applied to a young man, implying immaturity, want of vigor or judgment, etc.
2. n. In familiar or playful use (usually in the plural), a grown man regarded as one of the younger members of a family, as an intimate friend or associate, or as having in any respect a boyish relation or character.
3. n. Specifically, in the United States— In the South, especially before the abolition of slavery, a negro man.
4. n. An unscrupulous local politician, especially in a large city; one of the managers or subordinates of the “machine” of a party in local politics and elections: as, a ticket not acceptable to the boys.
5. n. A young servant; a page: as, “boys, grooms, and lackeys,” Hence in compound words sometimes applied to grown men without any idea of youth or contempt: as, a potboy.
6. n. [Supposed by some to be “a corruption of Hind. bhaiee, a servant”; but the Hind. word, prop. bhāī, means ‘brother,’ and boy in this use is merely the E. word. Cf. boy.] In India and the treaty-ports of China and Japan, etc., a native male servant, especially a personal servant; a butler or waiter, house-boy, office-boy, etc., as distinguished from a coolie or porter: in common use among foreigners.
7. n. Old boy, a familiar name for the devil.
8. n. Roaring boys. See roaring.
9. To treat as a boy, or as something belonging to or befitting a boy.
10. To act or represent in the manner of a boy: in allusion to the acting by boys of women's parts on the stage.
11. n. In India, as far north as the Nerbudda river, a palankin-bearer. Yule and Burnell, Anglo-Ind. Glossary.

Wiktionary

1. n. A young male human.
2. n. A man of any age, used as a friendly diminutive, or of a man who is merely younger than the speaker.
3. n. A male servant.
4. n. A non-white slave or labourer; a male African-American of any age.
5. n. A lower-class or disreputable man; a worthless person.
6. n. An adult male, particularly when used by straight women or gay men to refer to someone considered attractive.
7. n. Male (usually adult) friend; mainly used in the plural: boys.
8. n. A proud parent's son, regardless of age.
9. n. A caring owner's pet or working animal, regardless of age.
10. interj. Exclamation of surprise, pleasure or longing.
11. v. To use the word boy to refer to someone.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son.
2. n. In various countries, a male servant, laborer, or slave of a native or inferior race; also, any man of such a race; -- considered derogatory by those so called, and now seldom used.
3. v. To act as a boy; -- in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a male human offspring
2. n. (ethnic slur) offensive and disparaging term for Black man
3. n. a friendly informal reference to a grown man
4. n. a youthful male person