hoyden

or hoi·den

[ hoid-n ]

noun

1. a boisterous, bold, and carefree girl; a tomboy.

adjective

1. boisterous; rude.

hoyden

/ ˈhɔɪdən /

noun

1. a wild boisterous girl; tomboy

Derived Forms

• ˈhoydenishness, noun
• ˈhoydenish, adjective

Other Words From

• hoyden·ish adjective
• hoyden·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoyden¹

1585–95; perhaps < Middle Dutch heyden boor, heathen

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoyden¹

C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch heidijn heathen

Example Sentences

She was still a hoyden girl of fourteen in spite of her womanly status.

From Literature

Page in his novel “Lolita” on which Vladimir Nabokov referred to “Noon”: “. . . she wanted to know if the guy noon-napping on Doris Lee’s hay was the father of the pseudo-voluptuous hoyden in the foreground.”

From Washington Post

Ms. Faye is having altogether too much fun as Babe, and at first she seems to be overplaying the hoyden and underplaying the seductress.

From New York Times

Seen through the eyes of her sister, Elizabeth, she appears to be a vulgar, lusty hoyden, whose outrageous antics put all her sisters' reputations at risk.

From The Guardian

Credited with putting "all the flap into flapperdom", Adele raced about the London stage like an exquisite hoyden, managing always to keep in strict rhythm.

From The Guardian