[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tomboy/)

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# tomboy

noun (a tomboy, tomboys)

«tomboy» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A tomboy is a girl who likes doing things that people used to think were only for boys, such as climbing trees, rough games and football, and often prefers jeans to dresses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#m1)
2. (dated) It was once used as a criticism of girls who did not behave in a "ladylike" way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#m2)

### In the lessons

Appears in stories and everyday chat about friendship, fairness and growing up. It tells the reader about a girl's interests and style, not about anything wrong with her. Modern lessons stress that girls and boys may like any games, clothes and hobbies. Phrases: «a bit of a tomboy», «a real tomboy», «tomboyish».

### Examples

- Maddie is a tomboy who loves football and climbing trees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x1)
- Mum says she was a tomboy as a girl. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x2)
- Being a tomboy doesn't mean she can't like painting too. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x3)
- The tomboy in the story beat all the boys in the race. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x4)
- She hated dresses and called herself a proud tomboy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x5)
- Some kids teased her for being a tomboy, but she didn't care. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x6)
- She had a short, tomboyish haircut. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/#x7)

### Note

Countable noun; plural «tomboys» (not -ies, because there is a vowel before y). Adjective: tomboyish. Used only of girls. Trap: it is a description, not a judgement; liking football does not make a girl less of a girl. Some people today find the word old-fashioned.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tomboy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tomboy/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tomboy» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tomboy.html) on Mova free.