Boyo is an informal term of address for a boy or man, used chiefly in Wales and Ireland.
It can be affectionate or slightly condescending depending on tone: Listen here, boyo.
The word carries a folksy, working-class flavor and sometimes appears in fiction to signal Welsh or Irish speech.
1. informal — lad, Boy or young man; chap (Informal term for male); fellow (Man or companion); bloke (Informal British man); guy · mate · pal · buddy · fella · dude · gent · man · bro · homie
2. Welsh — mate, Partner or companion; pal (Close trusted companion); buddy (Informal term for companion); Wales (Celtic British principality); Cardiff · Swansea · valleys · rugby · hiraeth · butty · lad · chap · fellow · bloke
3. Irish — lad, Boy or young man; fella (Casual term for man); mate (Partner or companion); pal (Close trusted companion); Dublin · Cork · Galway · craic · pub · Guinness · chap · fellow · young man · friend
Opposites
GENDERboyo ≠ girl Young female person; lass · girlie · lassie · missie · miss
REGISTER/FORMALITYboyo ≠ sir Formal male address; mister · gentleman · madam · Mr. · your honor
AGE IMPLICATIONboyo ≠ old man Elderly male person; elder · old-timer · geezer · gaffer · greybeard
Phrases
good boy (Praise for obedient pet); oh boy (Interjection expressing excitement); boys and girls (Male and female children); baby boy (Young male child); little boy (Young male child); bad boy (Male troublemaker)
Categories
guys: guy, men, dude, fella, dudes; Welsh English: tidy, lush, butt, butty, daps; Irish Slang: craic, eejit, gobshite, banjaxed, slagging; Gaelic Words: slainte, craic, bodhran, Gaelic, Irish
Family
boy, cowboy, boys, boyish, schoolboy, boyhood, tomboy, playboy, busboy
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