Guy vs. Guys — What's the Difference?

A man or a boy; an informal term for a male individual.

Informal, primarily North American usage to refer to friends or peers.

Used to refer to men or boys collectively.

Sometimes used in customer service to address a group.

A figure representing Guy Fawkes, used during bonfire night celebrations.

In theatrical or humorous contexts, referring to people involved in a performance.

Any person of either gender.

Used to address a mixed-gender group.

A man

A general term for a group of people, often informal.

A figure representing Guy Fawkes, burnt on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night, and often displayed by children begging for money for fireworks.

A rope, cord, or cable used to steady, guide, or secure something.

A rope or line fixed to the ground to secure a tent or other structure.

(Informal) A man; a fellow.

Make fun of; ridicule

Chiefly British A person of odd or grotesque appearance or dress.

Secure with a guy or guys

Often Guy An effigy of Guy Fawkes paraded through the streets of English towns and burned on Guy Fawkes Day.

A rope, cord, or cable used to steady, guide, or secure something.

To steady, guide, or secure with a rope, cord, or cable.

(Informal) A man; a fellow.

To hold up to ridicule; mock.

Chiefly British A person of odd or grotesque appearance or dress.

Plural of guy

Often Guy An effigy of Guy Fawkes paraded through the streets of English towns and burned on Guy Fawkes Day.

(colloquial) Used to address a group of people regardless of gender.

To steady, guide, or secure with a rope, cord, or cable.

To hold up to ridicule; mock.

(British) An effigy of a man burned on a bonfire on the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot (5th November).

(dated) A person of eccentric appearance or dress; a "fright".

(colloquial) A man, fellow.

A person see usage notes.

Character, personality (not referring to a person, but pretending to)

Buster, Mack, fella, bud, man.

A guide; a leader or conductor.

A support rope or cable used to aid in hoisting or lowering.

A support to secure or steady structures prone to shift their position or be carried away (e.g. the mast of a ship or a suspension bridge).

(intransitive) To exhibit an effigy of Guy Fawkes around the 5th November.

(transitive) To make fun of, to ridicule with wit or innuendo.

To play in a comedic manner.

To equip with a support cable.

A rope, chain, or rod attached to anything to steady it; as: a rope to steady or guide an object which is being hoisted or lowered; a rope which holds in place the end of a boom, spar, or yard in a ship; a chain or wire rope connecting a suspension bridge with the land on either side to prevent lateral swaying; a rod or rope attached to the top of a structure, as of a derrick, and extending obliquely to the ground, where it is fastened.

A grotesque effigy, like that of Guy Fawkes, dressed up in England on the fifth of November, the day of the Gunpowder Plot.

A person of queer looks or dress.

A man or young man; a fellow; - usually contrasted with gals or girls as, it was fun for both the guys and gals; the guys were watching football while the girls played bridge.

To steady or guide with a guy.

To fool; to baffle; to make (a person) an object of ridicule.

An informal term for a youth or man;

An effigy of Guy Fawkes that is burned on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Day

A rope or cable that is used to brace something (especially a tent)

Subject to laughter or ridicule;

"Guy" is generally considered too casual for formal writing.

The singular form is "guy".

While acceptable, more formal terms are recommended for professional settings.

Uncommonly, but it can refer to objects like a Guy Fawkes effigy.

Yes, its usage and acceptance can vary culturally.

Yes, "guys" is often used gender-neutrally for mixed groups.

"Guys" has evolved from a male-specific term to one that is gender-neutral.

Man, fellow, dude.

People, folks, everyone.

It is used for boys and men of any age.