noun
goy
goy
Goy (noun) means a non-Jewish person, from a Jewish perspective; a gentile. Example: “The novel follows a young goy who falls in love with a rabbi's daughter.”
noun
1
A non-Jewish person, from a Jewish perspective; a gentile.
"The novel follows a young goy who falls in love with a rabbi's daughter."
"I don’t think that marriage is working, but I’m not going to be stupid about it and say she shouldn’t have married a goy."
— Anthony Burgess, Any Old Iron (1988)
How to use goy
Learner’s notes
When to use it
Neutral in Jewish community use but can sound loaded or even derogatory depending on tone and context.
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Word forms
- Plural
- goyim, goys, goyem, goyin
Fill the gap
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The novel follows a young _____ who falls in love with a rabbi's daughter.
Etymology
From Yiddish goy, borrowed from Hebrew goi, which originally just meant "nation" and came to refer to non-Jewish peoples.
Synonyms
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gentile
non-Jew
Related words
Rhymes for goy
See all rhymes for goy →Frequently asked questions
What does “goy” mean?
The word “goy” means a non-Jewish person, from a Jewish perspective; a gentile.
How do you pronounce “goy”?
“Goy” is pronounced goy (/ɡɔɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “goy” in a sentence?
Here is “goy” used in a sentence: “The novel follows a young goy who falls in love with a rabbi's daughter.”
What part of speech is “goy”?
“Goy” is a noun.
Where does the word “goy” come from?
The word “goy” comes from Hebrew. From Yiddish goy, borrowed from Hebrew goi, which originally just meant "nation" and came to refer to non-Jewish peoples.
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