noun

beau

BOH

noun

A boyfriend or male romantic partner, especially in slightly old-fashioned or playful use.

"She introduced her new beau to the family over dinner."

"The gossip columns loved speculating about the actress's latest beau."

A man known for dressing sharply and paying great attention to manners and style; a dandy.

"He was the beau of the ball, turned out in a perfectly tailored suit."

How to Use Beau

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn old-fashioned, slightly romantic word for a woman's boyfriend or male admirer.

When to use it

Feels dated or storybook-ish today — most people say "boyfriend" in everyday speech; "beau" turns up in fiction, older writing, or for humorous effect.

Common pairings

her latest beau a handsome beau court someone as a beau

Word Forms

beaued past tense, beaux plural, beaus plural, beaus singular

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She introduced her new _____ to the family over dinner.

Etymology

From French beau, "handsome" or "fine," going back to Latin bellus ("beautiful"). English borrowed it whole in the 17th century for a fashionable man, and it later softened into the word for a boyfriend or suitor.

Rhymes for beau

au eau Tau pau Bau lau Mau Hau Yau Kau Frau luau

See all rhymes for beau →