Definition and pronunciation
boyfriend /ˈbɔɪˌfrɛnd/ — noun: a male romantic partner.
boy friend (two words) — a boy or man who is a friend (non-romantic). Modern usage prefers boyfriend for romance and male friend for platonic clarity.
Easy explanation
A boyfriend is the man someone is dating or in a relationship with. If you write “boy friend” with a space, you usually mean “a friend who is male,” not a romantic partner.
Grammatical formation
- Part of speech: countable noun (a boyfriend; two boyfriends).
- Possessive: boyfriend’s (“my boyfriend’s car”).
- Derivatives: ex-boyfriend; live-in boyfriend; long-term boyfriend.
- Frames: be/have a boyfriend; become someone’s boyfriend; introduce X as my boyfriend.
- Works across orientations and genders (any person may refer to “my boyfriend”).
Meanings and nuances
- Romantic partner — most common.
- Plural for a group context — “their boyfriends came to dinner.”
- Historical two-word sense — “boy friend” = male friend (now rare; can be confusing).
With prepositions and variants
- boyfriend of (headline style): “boyfriend of the singer”
- boyfriend to (less common, informal)
- be with/date/go out with one’s boyfriend
- ex-boyfriend of, boyfriend from (place/time), boyfriend since (time)
- move in with, break up with, split from one’s boyfriend
Common collocations
ex-boyfriend, steady boyfriend, long-term boyfriend, live-in boyfriend, college boyfriend, childhood boyfriend, current boyfriend, secret boyfriend, serious boyfriend, potential boyfriend, boyfriend material, meet the boyfriend, boyfriend’s parents
Idioms and neighboring expressions
go out with, going steady, other half, better half, significant other (SO), partner, bae, boo, plus-one, date, meet-cute, break up, patch up
Word comparisons
- boyfriend vs boy friend: one word = romantic; two words = platonic male friend.
- boyfriend vs partner: partner is gender-neutral and formal/inclusive.
- boyfriend vs husband/spouse: husband/spouse implies marriage.
- boyfriend vs fiancé: fiancé is engaged to be married.
- boyfriend vs girlfriend: gender counterpart, not an opposite.
Real-life examples
- “He introduced Omar as his boyfriend.”
- “She’s having dinner with her boy friends from the gym—purely platonic.”
- “After the breakup, her ex-boyfriend stayed friends with the family.”
Sample sentences
- “Do you have a boyfriend?”
- “Nina’s boyfriend just moved to Detroit.”
- “He met his boyfriend at a film festival.”
- “I’m meeting my boyfriend’s parents tonight.”
- “They’ve been steady boyfriend and girlfriend for three years.”
- “She clarified: ‘He’s not my boyfriend—he’s a friend from class.’”
- “After college, his longtime boyfriend found work abroad.”
- “My ex-boyfriend and I still share a dog.”
- “They broke up but later patched things up.”
- “Her boyfriend helped plan the surprise party.”
Synonyms
partner, significant other, SO, beau, romantic partner, companion, lover, bae, boo
Antonyms
stranger, acquaintance, ex-boyfriend, enemy, rival, non-partner
Related terms
girlfriend, partner, spouse, fiancé, fiancée, date, relationship, couple, significant other, cohabitation, domestic partner, ex
Connection to sexuality
The word boyfriend isn’t inherently sexual; it names a romantic role. Relationships described by “boyfriend” may be sexual or non-sexual. Use male friend when you need a strictly platonic meaning.
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