"batty boy" is sexual slang. In short, it refers to a homosexual man. Among teens it is usually used jokingly, as crude banter, or in TikTok-style algospeak rather than as a serious statement of behaviour. Persistent or aggressive use directed at a specific person, especially online, is the bit worth paying attention to: that can shade into harassment. If you hear it once in a chat with friends, it is probably nothing. Repeated targeted use deserves a conversation about respect.
batty boy
(Jamaican English, Caribbean, UK, Canada, _, derogatory, _, slang) A homosexual man.
ˈbæti ˈbɔɪDocumented since 1980s1980sMillennialhistoricalHistorical417 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Etymology timeline
Born ~1985 · 1 year of recorded useGen X eraSee decade cohort →
Seen in the wild
Firecrawl: Jamaican gays flee to save their lives | World news - The GuardianOct 2002
The slang phrases 'batty boy' or 'chi chi man' are in common usage.
View source
Firecrawl: Batty boy - Wikipedia
# Batty boy Batty boy **Batty boy** ook wel **Battie boy** of **Bati boy i** s een negatieve term die wordt gebruikt om [homo's](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homoseksualiteit "Homoseksualiteit") mee te benoemen.
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Definitions
CaribbeanOffensive
#1·Apr 26, 2026Caribbean
(Jamaican English, Caribbean, UK, Canada, _, derogatory, _, slang) A homosexual man.
Origin: From Caribbean slang. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
"batty boy" is sexual slang. In short, it refers to a homosexual man. Among teens it is usually used jokingly, as crude banter, or in TikTok-style algospeak rather than as a serious statement of behaviour. Persistent or aggressive use directed at a specific person, especially online, is the bit worth paying attention to: that can shade into harassment. If you hear it once in a chat with friends, it is probably nothing. Repeated targeted use deserves a conversation about respect.
For ESL learners
"batty boy" is highly informal and vulgar English meaning a homosexual man. It is mainly heard in British English (and Irish English). A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a homosexual man" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake for non-native speakers is to use "batty boy" thinking it is neutral; in fact it is rude and can offend, so avoid it in writing or in any professional setting. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.
Cluster: sexual_orientation
Heard in the wild
“The slang phrases 'batty boy' or 'chi chi man' are in common usage.”
“# Batty boy Batty boy **Batty boy** ook wel **Battie boy** of **Bati boy i** s een negatieve term die wordt gebruikt om [homo's](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homoseksualiteit "Homoseksualiteit") mee te benoemen.”
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
Caribbean
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Other words near "batty boy" (B)
Battle of Ontariobattle taxibattle-twigbattnerbattri tingbattybatty manbatty riderbatwingbatwomanbauchlebauchled
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Semantically related
- batty man92%
(Jamaican English, and, Caribbean, _, derogatory, _, slang) A homosexual man.
- batty83%
Jamaican Patois word for the buttocks, derived from "bottom" via the same softening that produced "bumbo" and "bumbaclart". Used straightforwardly in many Caribbean contexts to mean the backside ("batty riders" = very short shorts; "batty wash" = washing one's rear). The word is heavily marked, however, by its appearance in the homophobic compound "batty boy" (or "batty bwoy"), a slur for a gay man that was a recurrent feature of certain hardcore dancehall lyrics in the 1980s, 90s and 2000s and has been widely condemned by LGBTQ groups and platforms. Because of that history, "batty" used about a person — especially in compounds — should be approached with caution: in some Caribbean contexts it remains an everyday body word, in others (especially diaspora and online) it lands as a slur trigger.
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(Jamaica, US, Canada, British) extremely short shorts worn by women, so as to expose part of the buttocks.
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