girl

American  

[gurl] / gɜrl /

noun

1. a female child, from birth to full growth.

2. a young, immature woman, especially formerly, an unmarried one.

3. a daughter.

   My wife and I have two girls.

4. Informal: Sometimes Offensive.  a grown woman, especially when referred to familiarly.

   She's having the girls over for bridge next week.

5. a girlfriend; sweetheart.

6. Older Use: Usually Offensive.  a female servant, as a maid.

7. Older Use: Usually Offensive.  a female employee, especially an office assistant.

8. a female who is from or native to a given place.

   She's a Missouri girl.

9. (used with a singular or plural verb)  girls,

   1. a range of sizes from 7 to 14, for garments made for girls.

   2. a garment in this size range.

   3. the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.

10. Slang.  girls, one's breasts (usually preceded by the, my, etc., and primarily used self-referentially by women).

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girl British  

/ ɡɜːl /

noun

1. a female child from birth to young womanhood

2. a young unmarried woman; lass; maid

3. informal  a sweetheart or girlfriend

4. informal  a woman of any age

5. an informal word for daughter

6. a female employee, esp a female servant

7. derogatory  a Black female servant of any age

8. informal  (usually plural) a group of women, esp acquaintances

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Sensitive Note

Some adult women are offended if referred to as a girl, or informally, a gal. However, a group of adult female friends often refer to themselves as the girls, and their “girls night out” implies the company of adult females. Also, a woman may express camaraderie by addressing another woman as girl, as in You go, girl! or Attagirl! Referring to one's female office assistant or housekeeper as the girl or my girl, once in common use, is now considered unacceptable. Working girl, meaning “a woman who works,” girl/gal Friday, meaning “a female office assistant,” and other occupational terms such as career girl and college girl, are also dated and often perceived as insulting. Working girl as a slang term meaning “a prostitute” is sometimes used by female prostitutes as a euphemistic self-reference. See also lady, woman.

Usage

Where does the word girl come from? The word girl, meaning "a female child," originally meant any "child" or "young person," regardless of gender. Girl, for "child," is recorded around 1250–1300.However, the original source of the word is uncertain. Scholars point to Old English words like gyrela, "an item of dress, apparel," presumably of a type worn by and popular with a young person back then.Guess what other word has obscure roots? Boy. Discover why in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From."

Etymology

Origin of girl

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gurle, girle, gerle “child, young person”; compare Old English gyrela, gi(e)rela “item of dress, apparel” (presumably worn by the young in the late Old English period, and hence used as a metonym)

Example Sentences

Sarah Jane Waugh, part of the Falkirk Pink Ladies group which wants the hotel closed, told us it "killed me to know that that girl's life was ruined".

From BBC

Mr. and Mrs. Holley’s newborn was not a girl—as the world would one day find out when Buddy removed the “e” from the family’s last name and became a professional singer.

From The Wall Street Journal

After the two wed and have their first child, Agnes becomes pregnant with fraternal twins, a boy and a girl.

From Salon

A girl named Sham was born in Gaza in November 2023 and survived smoke poisoning as an infant.

From Salon

The Etiwanda girls’ basketball team is off to a 5-0 start, and the defending state champions showed on Saturday night that they’re not ready to give up their title without a fight.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• child
• kid
• little one
• young one
• youngster