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An english language print reference to the term tomboy can be traced back to 1553 when it was used to describe a "rude, boisterous boy." Another reference, in 1579, as a "bold or immodest woman" and in 1592: "a girl who acts like a spirited boy." This development of the word is largely a corruption, through misinterpretation and mistaken use over centuries and is derived from the Anglo Saxon "tumbere" meaning dancer or romper, from the same roots as the French "tomber," to tumble about. Hundreds of years later the early meaning of a promiscuous boisterous girl or woman resurfaced in the shortened slang term Tom, meaning prostitute, when in the 1930's London Police used the term to describe a prostitute working the Mayfair and Bayswater areas. Australia and USA underworld slang both feature similar references.
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A tomboy today usually means a girl who isn't always "girly". She can be attractive and well-mannered, but she isn't afraid to participate in rough sports or get dirty. She can be "just on of the guys".
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