Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BOY, n. [Pers. bach, a boy; W. baçgen, from baç, little; Arm. buguel, a child; bugale, boyish; Sw. poike, a young boy; Dan. pog; Fr. page. See Beagle and Pug. Boy is a contracted word, and probably the L. puer, for puger, for we see by puella, that r is not radical. So the Gr. παις probably is contracted, for the derivative verb, παιζω, forms παιξω, παιχθεις. The radical letters probably are Bg or Pg.]

A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; but in general applied to males under ten or twelve years of age; a lad. Sometimes it is used in contempt for a young man, indicating immaturity, want of vigor or judgment.