hoy

1 of 2

interjection

ˈhȯi How to pronounce hoy (audio)
Synonyms of hoynext
—used in attracting attention or in driving animals

hoy

2 of 2

noun

1
: a small usually sloop-rigged coasting ship
2
: a heavy barge for bulky cargo

Word History

Etymology

Interjection

Middle English

Noun

Middle English, from Middle Dutch hoei

First Known Use

Interjection

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hoy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hoy

hox

hoy

hoya

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Hoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoy. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on hoy

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hoy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hoy

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Weird Words for Autumn Time

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
petit-fours
Name That Dessert! Hope you’ve saved room for some sweet vocabulary.