English Reference
Noun

boner

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US /ˈboʊnɝ/ UK /bˈəʊnɐ/ bon·er UK spelling boners

n.an erection of the penis. This is a very informal and often rude word for a physical state in men.

n.an erection of the penis. Often considered crude or vulgar; inappropriate for formal or professional contexts.


SIMPLE

He was embarrassed because he got a boner in class.

CONTEXTUAL

The teenager felt a sudden surge of panic when he realized he had a boner while standing up to give his presentation.

COMPLEX

While the term is frequently used in adolescent humor to describe a physical erection, its usage in adult conversation is generally restricted to highly informal or intentionally crude contexts.


From bone + -er.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Frequent
Updated