What does "guy" mean?
An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).
Guy
/ɡæ/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).
- Grammar: guy is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: adamite, advocate, alpenstock, anchor.
- Useful contrasts: applaud, bird instance, chick.
- Usage evidence: Sometimes he can be a strange guy.
How to use "guy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "guy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "guy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "guy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "guy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "guy" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adamite" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "guy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November). Ireland, UK
- 2 A guide; a leader or conductor. obsolete, rare
- 3 An effigy of Guy Fawkes burned on Bonfire Night British
- 4 a cable, wire, or rope that is used to brace something (especially a tent) wordnet
- 5 A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright". dated
"“But shan’t I look a guy?” “Not a bit of it. Jist the very kick!”"
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 A support rope or cable used to aid in hoisting or lowering.
- 7 an effigy of Guy Fawkes that is burned on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Day wordnet
- 8 A man or boy; a fellow. colloquial
"“You don't say so? I thought he was some guy from Pennsylvania.”"
- 9 A support to secure or steady structures prone to shift their position or be carried away (e.g. the mast of a ship or a suspension bridge).
- 10 an informal term for a youth or man wordnet
- 11 A person (see usage notes). especially, in-plural
"My “Guys” actually constitute a collection of people that range from my nearest and dearest girlfriends, my immediate and extended family, co-workers and acquaintances that care."
- 12 Anything seen to have character and personality, such as an animal or a toy. colloquial
"The dog's left foreleg was broken, poor little guy."
- 13 Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man. informal, term-of-address
"Hey, guy, give a man a break, would ya?"
- 14 Thing, item (term that can be used to refer to any entity) colloquial
"This guy, here, controls the current, and this guy, here, measures the voltage."
Verb
- 1 To exhibit an effigy of Guy Fawkes around the 5th November. intransitive
- 2 To equip with a support cable.
- 3 steady or support with a guy wire or cable wordnet
- 4 To make fun of, to ridicule with wit or innuendo. transitive
"The dusky hunters "guyed" the palefaces who could not do as well as they with their primitive weapons, even though the fire spouted from the iron tubes and the balls that could not be seen by the eye carried death farther than did the missiles launched by the natives."
- 5 subject to laughter or ridicule wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To play in a comedic manner. transitive
"To guy the speech in the manner of an old-fashioned 'ham' for cheap laughs...."
Proper Noun
- 1 A male given name from the Germanic languages.
"I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand, To mow 'em down before me;"
- 2 A male given name from Hebrew.
- 3 A place in the United States:; A minor city in Faulkner County, Arkansas.
- 4 A surname originating as a patronymic.
- 5 A surname.
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Liberty Township, Howard County, Indiana.
- 7 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Warren County, Kentucky.
- 8 A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Fort Bend County, Texas.
- 9 A hamlet in the Municipal District of Smoky River, No. 130, Alberta, Canada.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Sometimes he can be a strange guy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "guy"?
Common synonyms include: adamite, advocate, alpenstock, anchor, arm, athletic supporter.
How do you use "guy" in a sentence?
Sometimes he can be a strange guy.
How do you pronounce "guy"?
Pronounced /ɡæ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Coined by semantic widening from the name of Guy Fawkes (1570–1606), an English Catholic executed for his role in the Gunpowder Plot, from Old French Gui, a form of Proto-Germanic *Wido, a short form of names beginning with the element witu "wood" from Proto-Germanic *widuz, such as Witold and Widukind. Cognate with Italian Guido.
Etymology 2
From Old French guie, linked to verb guier (“guide”), from Frankish *wītan, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wītaną (“know”). Cognate with English guide.
Etymology 3
PIE word *dwóh₁ From Old French Gui, a form of Proto-Germanic *Wido, a short form of names beginning with the element *widuz (“wood”), such as Witold and Widukind. Cognate with Italian Guido and thus a doublet of Guido. More at wood.
Etymology 4
From the Hebrew name גַּיְא (gáy, literally “valley”), with the spelling influenced by the existing English name.
Etymology 5
For places which could be from either etymology above.