Word
tomboy
US/ˈtɑmˌbɔɪ/
UK/tˈɒmbɔɪ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a girl or woman who likes to play and dress like a boy. She usually enjoys sports and outdoor activities more than traditional 'girly' things.
n. a girl or woman who prefers to play, dress, or behave in a manner typically associated with boys.
Examples
“She was a tomboy who loved playing soccer with the boys.”
“Growing up as a tomboy, she spent most of her childhood climbing trees and riding her bike through the neighborhood.”
“While some viewed her as a tomboy for her preference for hiking boots and baseball caps, she simply felt more comfortable in those clothes than in traditional feminine attire.”
Examples
simple
“She was a tomboy who loved playing soccer with the boys.”
contextual
“Growing up as a tomboy, she spent most of her childhood climbing trees and riding her bike through the neighborhood.”
complex
“While some viewed her as a tomboy for her preference for hiking boots and baseball caps, she simply felt more comfortable in those clothes than in traditional feminine attire.”
Etymology
From tom + boy. First attested in Ralph Roister Doister (published 1567, written circa 1552), where it is used to describe a boisterous girl; the OED says the citation is however "generally taken" to mean a boisterous boy, and says that a use in The Old Law (published 1656, thought to have been written circa 1599) "certainly" means a boy: "must young court-tits / play tomboys' tricks with her?" By 1579 it was attested in the meaning "an immodest woman", and by no later than 1592 it had developed its modern meaning of a “girl who acts like a boy”.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/tomboy