rent boy

US, UK/ˈɹɛntˌbɔɪ/

noun

A male prostitute, typically young and gay.

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Meanings

nounrent boy (plural rent boys)

plural rent boys · alternative rentboy

  1. UKinformalA male prostitute, typically young and gay.

    Just then, a rent boy with perfect white teeth and a babyface flashed me one of those unforgettable Thai smiles.

    2007, John Patrick, Dangerous Boys, Rent Boys, page 12
    2 more examples

    Francis Urquhart: Got anything on him? Tim Stamper: There was a whiff of scandal about ten years ago. Francis Urquhart: Rent boy. In a train. To Red Hill. Yes. Wanted to sell his story but we bought it and hushed him up. Be ungentlemanly to bring that up. A man's private life should be private. Tim Stamper: On the other hand, getting sucked off in second class is hardly prime ministerial behaviour. Francis Urquhart: Yes, you have a point there.

    1990, House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 4

    An Irishman came up to him, bought him a drink, asked him if he was a rent boy, and agreed to give £40 for coming back.

    1992, Donald James West, Buz De Villiers, Male prostitution, page 93

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
butcher boyrenter

Origin

From rent (“to lease, let out”) + boy, a diminutive term for man.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 男妓, 妓男
  • 男妓 (nánjì)young male prostitute
  • 妓男 (jìnán)young male prostitute
  • 鴨子 /鸭子 (yāzi)young male prostitute
  • MByoung male prostitute
Dutch schandknaap
  • schandknaapyoung male prostitute
Finnish maksullinen poika
  • maksullinen poikayoung male prostitute
French giton, lopaille
  • gitonyoung male prostitute
  • lopailleyoung male prostitute
German Callboy, Gigolo
  • Callboyyoung male prostitute
  • Gigoloyoung male prostitute
  • Stricheryoung male prostitute
Portuguese acompanhante de luxo, michê
  • acompanhante de luxoyoung male prostitute
  • michêyoung male prostitute
Russian проститу́т
  • проститу́т (prostitút)young male prostitute
Spanish taxi boy, taxi boys
  • taxi boyyoung male prostitute
  • taxi boysyoung male prostitute
  • putitoyoung male prostitute
  • putitosyoung male prostitute
  • lolitoyoung male prostitute
  • lolitosyoung male prostitute
Swedish eskortpojke
  • eskortpojkeyoung male prostitute
Cite this entry
APA

rent boy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rent%20boy

MLA

“rent boy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rent%20boy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rent boy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rent%20boy.

Source: rent boy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.