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).

---

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

---

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)

Explanation

A girl is a young woman, or a female child. If you have a 3-year-old daughter you have a little girl. Girl comes from the Middle English garl, but no one knows where that word came from. It used to mean a child of either sex, but now it's only used for female children, paired with the word boy. A girl can be very young, or a young woman who's not quite out on her own in the world yet. Adults in relationships who aren't married call their female loves their girlfriend, even when the girl in question is really a woman.

Example Sentences

Police did not say whether Nichols knew the girl living in the home.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Nevertheless, every single girl I met had dreams for her future – from being a microbiologist to pursuing an acting career, to playing for the Lionesses.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

"I grew up in a family of eight boys and one girl, and we were all nerdy kids," 38-year-old Dan Reynolds remembered.

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

Not everyone born at the right time goes from factory girl to billionaire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“My girl, when anybody asks that, I tell ’em the same thing,” SJ said.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

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