English
showboy
From show + boy.
Proto-Indo-European *(s)kewh₁- ‘to heed, look, take note of’
Proto-Germanic *skawwōną ‘to look, see’
Proto-West Germanic *skauwōn ‘to look, see’
Old English scēawian ‘to look at; to exhibit, display’
Middle English schewen
English show
Proto-Indo-European *bʰā-
…
Proto-Germanic *bōjô ‘younger brother’
Proto-West Germanic *bōjō
Old English *bōia ‘boy’
Middle English boye ‘servant, commoner, knave, boy’
English boy
Today it means
noun A male performer analogous to a showgirl.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / showboy