boylike
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Resembling or characteristic of a boy: Having the qualities, appearance, or behavior typically associated with a young male child or adolescent.
- Suitable for a boy: Befitting a boy in nature or manner.
Adverb:
- In a boyish manner: Acting or behaving in a way that is characteristic of a boy.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- Her boylike enthusiasm for the game was contagious.
- He had a boylike curiosity about how things worked.
Adverb:
- She ran boylike through the field, full of energy.
- He grinned boylike at the simple pleasure.
Advanced Usage
- Used to describe enduring youthful traits in adults: Often applied to describe adults (of any gender) who retain an appealing, youthful, or innocent quality reminiscent of a boy.
- Despite his age, he retained a boylike wonder about the world.
Variants and Related Words
- Boyish (adj): The more common synonym for the adjective form, meaning having the characteristics of a boy.
- He has a boyish charm.
- Boyishly (adv): The more common synonym for the adverbial form.
- He smiled boyishly.
Synonyms
- Boyish: Characteristic of a boy.
- Youthful: Having the appearance or qualities of youth.
- Juvenile: Characteristic of youth or young people.
Antonyms
- Girllike: Characteristic of a girl.
- Womanly: Having qualities traditionally associated with a woman.
- Manly: Having qualities traditionally associated with a man.
Notes on Usage
- The term "boylike" is less frequent than its synonym "boyish." It is often used for stylistic variation or in more descriptive, literary contexts.
- When used as an adverb, it is considered somewhat informal or literary.
Adjective
- befitting or characteristic of a young boy
- a boyish grin
- schoolboyish pranks
Adverb
- like a boy
- he smiled boyishly at his fiancee