Meaning & use
goys
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“goys” is a form of “goy”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluraloffensive
People who are not Jewish, as a Jewish speaker might call them; often felt to be rude or dismissive when used by others.
Grammar: Plural of goy; the plural goyim is also used, especially in Yiddish-influenced speech.
In the novel, the old grandmother calls her neighbors goys, and the narrator explains that the word can sound unkind.
Some readers object when writers use goys as a casual label for everyone outside the community.
The comedian joked about how his relatives described the guests at the wedding as goys.
Word forms
| singular | goy |
|---|---|
| alternative plural | goyim |
Common combinations
- call someone a goy
- Be careful about calling a stranger a goy, since it may offend them.
- the word goy
- The word goy has a complicated history.
- Shabbos goy
- A Shabbos goy was a non-Jewish neighbor who did small jobs on the Sabbath.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gentiles
- Gentiles is the standard, neutral term for non-Jews, whereas goys can sound offensive from outsiders.
- non-Jews
- Non-Jews is plain and neutral, with none of the slang flavor of goys.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: goys or goys vs guys?
goys vs goys vs guys
Guys is a casual word for men or people in general and is pronounced differently, with a g-eye sound.
Practice
Which word is the neutral, standard term for people who are not Jewish?
Choose one answer.
Gentiles is the neutral standard term, while goys can sound rude from someone outside the community.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “goys”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.