schoolboy

Everyday

1. A schoolboy is a boy who goes to school. tree →
2. Used before another noun, schoolboy means the kind of thing a schoolboy would do or have, often silly or simple: a schoolboy joke, a schoolboy error. tree →
3. (UK, sport) A schoolboy player is a boy who plays a sport for his school or at under-18 level. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and old books schoolboys wear caps and blazers and have adventures. In everyday talk, especially in the UK, «a schoolboy error» means a very basic mistake that even a beginner should avoid, and «schoolboy humour» means rude or silly jokes. The girl's word is «schoolgirl»; a neutral word is «pupil» or «student».

Examples

• The schoolboy ran to catch the bus with his bag flapping. tree →
• In the old photo, the schoolboys wear shorts and caps. tree →
• Forgetting to carry the one was a schoolboy error. tree →
• My uncle still laughs at schoolboy jokes about burps. tree →
• He played schoolboy rugby in Ireland. tree →
• Every schoolboy in the story wanted to find the treasure. tree →
• The schoolboys lined up in the yard. tree →
• Then there arrived on the scene a mere schoolboy--a merry, happy-hearted youth, but at the same time strong and well-grown. tree →

Note

Countable: one schoolboy, two schoolboys. One word, no space or hyphen. «Schoolboy error» is a fixed phrase meaning a basic mistake; it can be said about anyone, even adults. Plural is regular: schoolboys (not schoolboies).