# guy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡæ/ · frequency rank #387

## Definitions
1. An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).
2. A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright".
3. A man or boy; a fellow.
4. A person (see usage notes).
5. Anything seen to have character and personality, such as an animal or a toy.
6. dude, Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man.
7. Thing, item (term that can be used to refer to any entity)

## Etymology
Coined by semantic widening from the name of Guy Fawkes (1570–1606), an English Catholic executed for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, from Old French Gui, a form of Proto-Germanic *Wido, a short form of names beginning with the element witu "wood" from Proto-Germanic *widuz, such as Witold and Widukind. Cognate with Italian Guido.

## Easily confused with
- **gym** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guy-vs-gym)
- **GYN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guy-vs-gyn)
- **guys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guy-vs-guys)
- **Gwyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/guy-vs-gwyn)
- **g** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/g-vs-guy)
- **go** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/go-vs-guy)
- **GM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gm-vs-guy)
- **Ga** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ga-vs-guy)
- **GB** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gb-vs-guy)
- **GF** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gf-vs-guy)
- **GP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gp-vs-guy)
- **ge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ge-vs-guy)
- **gi** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gi-vs-guy)
- **GS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gs-vs-guy)
- **GC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gc-vs-guy)
- **GR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gr-vs-guy)
- **gg** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gg-vs-guy)
- **GL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gl-vs-guy)
- **GU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gu-vs-guy)
- **gd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gd-vs-guy)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/guy