Public Services and Procurement Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Institutional Links

 

Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

boy

The word boy should be used only in reference to male children or youths.

  • The boys, aged 7 and 9, had collected six jars full of loonies to pay for their trip to the Calgary Stampede.

Avoid using boy in job or position titles. Opt for gender-neutral language instead: e.g. cabana attendant, not cabana boy; mail clerk, not mail boy; newspaper carrier, not paperboy; water carrier, not water boy.

  • I always tip the newspaper carrier (not paperboy) at Christmas.
  • The busser (or table attendant; not busboy) cleared the dishes from the vacated tables.