# tomboy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɒm.bɔɪ/ · frequency rank #37,738

## Definitions
1. A girl who behaves in a typically boyish manner.
2. A rude, boisterous boy.
3. An immodest or bold woman.
4. A butch lesbian.

## Etymology
From tom + boy. First attested in Ralph Roister Doister (published 1567, written circa 1552), where it is used to describe a boisterous girl; the OED says the citation is however "generally taken" to mean a boisterous boy, and says that a use in The Old Law (published 1656, thought to have been written circa 1599) "certainly" means a boy: "must young court-tits / play tomboys' tricks with her?" By 1579 it was attested in the meaning "an immodest woman", and by no later than 1592 it had developed its modern meaning of a “girl who acts like a boy”.

## Easily confused with
- **Tommy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tomboy-vs-tommy)
- **Tombs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tomboy-vs-tombs)
- **tomb** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tomb-vs-tomboy)
- **toby** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toby-vs-tomboy)

## Common misspellings (9)
`otmboy`, `tmoboy`, `tobmoy`, `tombboy`, `tomboyy`, `tombyo`, `tommboy`, `tomoby`, `ttomboy`

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