Skip to the word

Added 3 October 2026

beau

/ˈbəʊ̯/ noun

In Latin: formaster Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about beau at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A man with a reputation for fine dress and etiquette; a dandy or fop.
A male lover; a boyfriend.
A male escort.

verb

To act as a beau (towards); to court or woo.

Origin

From Middle English beau, beu, bew, bewe, from Old French beau, from Latin bellus (“beautiful”). Doublet of bello and boo.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word