boy-friend
Definition
- Noun:
- A romantic partner (male): "boyfriend" refers to a male person with whom someone has a romantic or sexual relationship, typically outside of marriage.
- A male companion: In some contexts, it can also mean a male friend, though this usage is less common and often clarified by context.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- She introduced her boyfriend to her parents last weekend. (Her male romantic partner.)
- He is my boyfriend, and we have been together for two years. (A committed romantic partner.)
- She went to the movies with her boyfriend. (Her male companion in a romantic context.)
Advanced Usage
"to be boyfriend and girlfriend": to be in a romantic relationship.
- They are officially boyfriend and girlfriend now. (They have a mutual romantic relationship.)
"ex-boyfriend": a former romantic partner.
- She still talks to her ex-boyfriend occasionally. (Her previous male romantic partner.)
Variants and Related Words
- Boyfriend (n): the standard spelling; the compound word is always written as one word in modern English.
- Girlfriend (n): the female equivalent of "boyfriend."
- He introduced his girlfriend to his friends. (His female romantic partner.)
Synonyms
- Partner: a person in a romantic relationship (neutral gender).
- She brought her partner to the party. (Could be male or female.)
- Sweetheart: a term of endearment for a romantic partner.
- He is her sweetheart. (Her beloved.)
- Lover: a person with whom someone has a romantic or sexual relationship.
- They are lovers. (More intimate than "boyfriend".)
Phrasal Verbs
- Date: to go out with someone romantically.
- He is dating my cousin. (He is in a romantic relationship with her.)
- Go out (with): to have a romantic relationship with someone.
- She is going out with her boyfriend. (She is in a relationship with him.)
Related Idioms
- Boyfriend material: someone who is suitable to be a romantic partner.
- He is definitely boyfriend material — kind, reliable, and funny. (He has qualities that make him a good boyfriend.)
- Old flame: a former romantic partner.
- She ran into an old flame at the grocery store. (A former boyfriend or girlfriend.)