English · Slang Historical

guy

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A fright, a dowdy, an ill-dressed person. Derived from the effigy of Guy Fawkes carried about by boys on Nov. 5. "Hollo, boys, another GUY!"

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “guy” mean?

A fright, a dowdy, an ill-dressed person. Derived from the effigy of Guy Fawkes carried about by boys on Nov. 5. "Hollo, boys, another GUY!"

Is “guy” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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