boy toyn.
/ˈbɔɪ ˌtɔɪ/, U.S. /ˈbɔɪ ˌtɔɪ/ Chiefly U.S. colloquial (frequently depreciative).
1. A toy which typically appeals to boys; (also) a gadget, esp. an unnecessary or extravagant one, designed to evoke a somewhat childish appeal in men.
ΚΠ
1967 N.Y. Times 15 Jan. d13/6 A brightly decorated Christmas tree still stood in the corner, and scattered about were little-boy toys, boxes of games [etc.].]
1971 N.Y. Times 12 May 38/4 So far, Mr. Thauer has not noticed any feminist impact at the counters of his toy emporium. ‘The customers still ask for boy toys and girl toys.’
1988 D. Ing Chernobyl Syndrome 40 What he owned was nifty: foreign sportscar, solid state stereo, Cuisinart, gadgety camera and other mouth-watering boytoys.
1997 Buffalo (N.Y.) News (Nexis) 16 Feb. 15 b In the boy-toy arena, Mattel has opened the garage door on Hot Wheels X-V Racers, the first self-powered cars in the speedy little line.
2000 Mirror (Electronic ed.) 14 Dec. This is a real boy toy—a top-of-the-range electric shaver that cleans and recharges itself.
2. A young and attractive man regarded as the plaything of an older, often wealthier woman (or occasionally man); a toy boy.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > prostitution > [noun] > woman's hired lover
stallion1676
petticoat-pensioner1699
gigolo1922
Valentino1927
toyboy1981
boy toy1982
1982 N.Y. Times 18 Oct. c15/2 They're soon joined by a wealthy local widow (Tanya Berezin) and her new ‘boy toy’ of a lover (Brian Tarantina), an aspiring tennis star.
1996 San Francisco Examiner (Nexis) 11 Dec. c1 At 31, David Ross definitely could qualify for the ‘boy toy’ sobriquet... With dark hair, light skin and coal-black eyes, Ross is model handsome.
2000 ‘J. Churchill’ Mulch Ado about Nothing xxiii. 173 Stefan is very good-looking and I can see him dropping Julie when he realized he was just her boy toy.
3. A young and attractive woman regarded as a plaything for men.Popularized in this sense by the U.S. singer Madonna (b. 1958, Madonna Louise Ciccone), though she used the phrase ironically: see quot. 1985.
ΚΠ
1984 ‘Madonna’ Like Virgin (album cover) [On belt-buckle shown in photograph] Boy Toy.
1985 Time (Nexis) 4 Mar. 74 Madonna's whole image, in fact, is like a finger-flip to feminists and earnest liberals. Boy Toy, says one of her most famous accessories.
1990 Wall St. Jrnl. (Electronic ed.) 6 Nov. Vanity Fair prefers blond, wealthy Wellesley graduates..to white-trash boy toys.
1992 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 7 Nov. a1/6 As women have more money and more power they don't have to look like Barbie dolls and behave like boy toys.
1998 Rolling Stone 20 Aug. 89/1 How about that picture of her in handcuffs and a miniskirt, with her pre-Monica big hair playfully hiding her eyes?.. Lest you think Susan was merely some fiscal boy toy caught up in her older husband's real estate schemes, [etc.].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
n.1971