A boyfriend is a term which usually means the male partner in a romantic non-marital relationship. Partners in a non-marital relationship are sometimes called "significant others". Using the word "boyfriend" to mean "a male partner or lover" was first done in 1906. It became popular in the 1920s, when people started to go out on dates rather than have romantic meetings at home.It is less common to use the term "boyfriend" to mean a male friend in a platonic relationship. view more...