schoolboy

1 of 2

noun

school·​boy ˈskül-ˌbȯi How to pronounce schoolboy (audio)
: a boy attending school

schoolboy

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a schoolboy
schoolboy pranks
2
: of, relating to, or being a sport for high school or prep school boys
also : being one who participates in such sports

Examples of schoolboy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This is a military vet as opposed to a bored schoolboy. Christian Holub, EW.com, 15 Oct. 2023 An 11-year-old British schoolboy who went missing while traveling with family members in Spain six years ago and was thought to have been abducted by them, has been found alive and well in France, according to a report by French news outlet La Depeche. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2023 In the documentary, Attenborough, as eager as a schoolboy, asks Andre Rowe, an American paleobiologist at the University of Bristol, his thoughts comparing pliosaurs and dinosaurs. William Booth, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024 He is exposed as one of nature’s head boys: a servant of the real power, in a schoolboy’s suit. Dominic Green, Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2024 In the book, which has been previously adapted as films, schoolboys marooned on a Pacific island create their own savage civilization. Patrick Frater, Variety, 19 Oct. 2023 Ogilvie’s semi-autobiographical film is set in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1979 where a private schoolboy becomes desperately enamored with all things post-punk. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Nov. 2023 Shanley, whose play was inspired by his own experiences as a Catholic schoolboy in the Bronx, never answers the questions that Sister Aloysius raises. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Oct. 2023 The original image shows a teenage schoolboy visibly agitated while sitting in class next to a girl. WIRED, 25 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'schoolboy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1588, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of schoolboy was in 1588

Dictionary Entries Near schoolboy

Cite this Entry

“Schoolboy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schoolboy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

schoolboy

noun
school·​boy
-ˌbȯi
: a boy attending school
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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