homeboy

H4O1M3E1B3O1Y4
US/ˈhoʊm.bɔɪ/

noun

Someone, particularly a male acquaintance, from one’s hometown.

OriginEnglish boy ← Middle English boye ← Old English *bōia →
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounhomeboy (plural homeboys)

plural homeboys

  1. colloquialSomeone, particularly a male acquaintance, from one’s hometown.

    When the boy next door; Don't want to be my homeboy no more; Saw something that I never saw before; I think he wants to be my baby

    2004, “Homeboy”, performed by JoJo
  2. colloquialAfrican-American VernacularA close friend or fellow member of a youth gang.
  3. colloquialA person.
pronounhomeboy (third-person singular, masculine, nominative or objective case)
  1. masculinenominativeobjectivesingularslangthird personAfrican-American VernacularHe or him.

    He hit homeboy in his junk

    2023 January 28, Jovani Vasquez (@JovaniVasquez25), Twitter
    4 more examples

    (1:38) If homeboy’s coming through with these, it’s quiet. Yeah no, it’s quiet for him. But, like, if he comes through with, y’know, these; you got some air maxes out here, you got some Jordans. Homeboy’s gonna, like, get it.

    2017 October 2, Complex (@Complex), YouTube

    Homeboy rafikied a peacock with a squeegee.

    2023 February 1, Fiona’s Videos 🎬 (@fiona_videos), Twitter

    He's talking about the jumpscare warnings in Dead Space. The ones you can turn off. Homeboy takes gaming way too fucking seriously.

    2023 January 31, IStandWithVic Posting Their L's Online (@ISWV_Losers), Twitter

    Should’ve listen to homeboy

    2023 January 28, LaughTalkTV (@LaughTalkTV), Twitter

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
homeslicehomieman

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱey-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóymos
  3. Proto-Indo-European*teḱ-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*tḱéytibf.
  5. Proto-Indo-European*tḱey-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*tḱóymos
  7. Proto-Germanic*haimaz
  8. Proto-West Germanic*haim
  9. Old Englishhām
  10. Middle Englishhom
  11. Englishhome
  12. Proto-Indo-European*dewh₂-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*duh₂-nós?
  14. Proto-Celtic*dūnom
  15. Proto-Germanic*tūną
  16. Proto-West Germanic*tūn
  17. Old Englishtūn
  18. Middle Englishtoun
  19. Englishtown
  20. Englishhometown
  21. Proto-Indo-European*bʰā-
  22. Proto-Germanic*bō-
  23. Proto-West Germanic*bōjō
  24. Old English*bōia
  25. Middle Englishboye
  26. Englishboy
  27. Englishhomeboy

Blend of hometown + boy. 20th-century African-American urban slang. Originated from travelers to metropolitan areas derived from American English as a blend of hometown + boy. However, modern use is mostly by African-Americans and Latinos in the United States.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kotikylän kundi, kamu
  • kotikylän kundimale from one's hometown
  • kamumale from one's youth gang
  • kaverimale from one's youth gang
  • jätkämale person
  • kundimale person
Italian compaesano
  • compaesanomale from one's hometown
Spanish compinche
  • compinchemale from one's youth gang
Cite this entry
APA

homeboy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/homeboy

MLA

“homeboy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/homeboy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “homeboy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/homeboy.

Source: homeboy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.