Guy

See also guy

English

Etymology

Old French form of 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.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɡaɪ/
• Rhymes: -aɪ

Proper noun

Guy (plural Guys)

1. A male given name.
   • 1613 William Shakespeare: King Henry the Eighth: Act V, Scene IV:

     I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand, / To mow 'em down before me;

   • 1990 Ruth Rendell: Going Wrong ISBN 0091743001 page 157:

     "Guy," he said. He said it slowly and with a certain puzzlement. He said it again, thoughtfully, as if it were a name of someone he had known long ago but couldn't quite place. "Guy. Yes - don't you find it difficult being called that? I mean, if Nora hadn't said, I'd have put you down as a Kevin, or a Barry. Yes, Barry would suit you."

     He looked like an innocent child, smiling, wide-eyed, his cheeks plump and rosy, defying the object of his insults to take offence. For they were insults, Guy was in no doubt about that. Leonora's brother was implying that his name was far too upper-class for its possessor.

Related terms

• Wyatt

Translations

male given name

• Catalan: Guiu (ca)
• Croatian: Gvido, Vid
• Czech: Kvido (cs)
• Esperanto: Vito (eo)
• French: Guy (fr)
• Galician: Guido (gl)
• German: Veit (de)
• Hebrew: גַּיְא (he)
• Hungarian: Gujdó, Vitold

• Italian: Guido (it)
• Latin: Guidus
• Latvian: Gvido (lv) m
• Lithuanian: Gvidas
• Polish: Gwido
• Portuguese: Guido (pt)
• Slovene: Gvido
• Spanish: Guido (es)

Noun

Guy (plural Guys)

1. (UK) An effigy of Guy Fawkes burned on Bonfire Night

---

French

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɡi/

Proper noun

Guy

1. A male given name, cognate to Guy.

---

Norman

Etymology

From an Old French form of Old High German Wido, a short form of names beginning with the element *widuz (“wood”), such as Witold and Widukind.

Proper noun

Guy m

1. A male given name, equivalent to French and English Guy.

Related terms

• Guytounet