Phrase guide

errand boy

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A male employed to run errands.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Someone in a responsible position who performs relatively menial tasks for a senior manager.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: occasionally derogatory

Topics: management

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a boy who earns money by running errands

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: messenger boy

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: messenger, courier

Narrower terms: page, pageboy

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: хло́пчык на пабягу́шках (xlópčyk na pabjahúškax) — male employed to run errands
  • Belarusian: пасы́льны (pasýlʹny) — male employed to run errands
  • Belarusian: рассы́льны (rassýlʹny) — male employed to run errands
  • Bulgarian: момче́ за поръ́чки (momčé za porǎ́čki) — male employed to run errands
  • Dutch: loopjongen — male employed to run errands
  • Estonian: jooksupoiss — male employed to run errands
  • Finnish: juoksupoika — male employed to run errands
  • French: coursier — male employed to run errands
  • French: garçon de courses — male employed to run errands
  • Galician: mandadeiro — male employed to run errands
  • Galician: recadeiro — male employed to run errands
  • German: Botenjunge — male employed to run errands
  • German: Laufbursche — male employed to run errands
  • Hungarian: kifutófiú — male employed to run errands
  • Irish: giolla — male employed to run errands
  • Italian: bardotto — male employed to run errands
  • Italian: fattorino — male employed to run errands
  • Latin: cursor — male employed to run errands
  • Plautdietsch: Schekjbenjel — male employed to run errands
  • Polish: chłopiec na posyłki — male employed to run errands
  • Portuguese: moleque de recados — male employed to run errands
  • Romanian: curier — male employed to run errands
  • Russian: ма́льчик на побегу́шках (málʹčik na pobegúškax) — male employed to run errands
  • Russian: рассы́льный (rassýlʹnyj) — male employed to run errands
  • Russian: посы́льный (posýlʹnyj) — male employed to run errands
  • Scottish Gaelic: gille-gnothaich — male employed to run errands
  • Spanish: repartidor — male employed to run errands
  • Spanish: recadero — male employed to run errands
  • Spanish: encomendero — male employed to run errands
  • Swedish: springpojke — male employed to run errands
  • Turkish: ayakçı — male employed to run errands
  • Ukrainian: хло́пчик на побіге́ньках (xlópčyk na pobihénʹkax) — male employed to run errands
  • Ukrainian: хло́пчик на побіга́шках (xlópčyk na pobiháškax) — male employed to run errands
  • Ukrainian: розси́льний (rozsýlʹnyj) — male employed to run errands
  • Ukrainian: поси́льний (posýlʹnyj) — male employed to run errands
  • Finnish: juoksupoika — someone nominally in responsible position
  • Polish: chłopiec na posyłki — someone nominally in responsible position