Guise vs. Guys

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Grammarist

Guise and guys are two words that are pronounced in the same fashion, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. They are homophones. We will examine the definitions of the words guise and guys, where they came from and some examples of their use in sentences.

Guise is the external appearance of something or someone, how something or someone appears outwardly. This may only be a temporary thing, or it may camouflage the true nature of the item or person in question. Guise is derived from the Old French word guise, meaning fashion or manner.

Guys is the plural form of guy, which is a familiar term for a man or a person. A guy may also be a cord or rope that secures a structure to the ground. As a term for a rope, the word guy was coined in the 1600s from the French word guie, meaning guide. As a term for a man, the word guy was coined in the 1800s and is most probably related to the Italian name Guido.

Examples

“There is no long established practice of [MVSD] directors taking trips to exotic locations at public expense on the guise of attending water conferences,” he added. (The Youngstown Vindicator)

Joining municipalities across the state, Iowa City officials are developing a permit process in an attempt to weed out human traffickers operating under the guise of the title “massage parlor.” (The Iowa City Press-Citizen)

“For me, when putting together team, it’s all about getting good guys in the community, and that’s what (Skeete ) is… a good player who is a good guy, too.” (The Telegram)

There are Reddit threads full of guys claiming they’re now treated as pariahs. (The Telegraph)

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