# Boyle

/ˈbɔɪɫ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/boyle
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. obsolete spelling of boil

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old way of writing the word 'boil', meaning a painful red swelling on the skin.

For teachers: An obsolete variant spelling of 'boil', referring to a furuncle or localized skin infection.

- In the old book, the doctor described a painful boyle on the patient's arm.
- The seventeenth-century manuscript detailed various herbal remedies intended to draw the infection from a stubborn boyle.

## Examples

- He broke the boyle into pieces for the children.
- The medieval peasant ate a hard boyle with a slice of cheese for his morning meal.
- In the dim light of the tavern, the traveler unwrapped his stale boyle, a humble staple that sustained him through the long, cold journey.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.