Beaus

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /bəʊz/

Definitions

1. A male admirer or sweetheart, often in a romantic context
2. a dapper or stylish man typically associated with flirtation
3. a guy who is romantically involved or pursuing someone in a courtly manner

Etymology: "Beaus" is the plural of "beau," a word that has moved a long way from its Latin roots. English borrowed it from Old French, where "beau" meant "beautiful," descended from the Latin "bellus" with the same sense. The word reached English in Middle English, in spellings such as "beu" and "bewe," and in its earliest uses it described something handsome or fine rather than a man. Over time the sense narrowed to a man who was admired for his looks and manners, and then to a suitor, especially one who courted a woman with elaborate attention. The plural "beaus" is the form you meet when a single woman has several admirers, as in the phrase about a belle and her beaus. The Latin "bellus" also gave English "belle," which is a doublet of "beau": the same word entering English by two routes, one as a French borrowing and one later, which kept the feminine-leaning sense of a beautiful woman.

Synonyms: lovers, sweethearts, suitors