colleen

¹

[ kol-een, ko-leen ]

noun

1. an Irish girl.

Colleen

²

[ kol-een, ko-leen ]

noun

1. a female given name: from an Irish word meaning “girl.”

colleen

/ kɒˈliːn; ˈkɒliːn /

noun

1. an Irish word for girl
2. an Irish girl

Word History and Origins

Origin of colleen¹

1820–30; < Irish cailín, equivalent to caile girl, wench + -ín diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of colleen¹

C19: from Irish Gaelic cailín a girl, a young unmarried woman

Example Sentences

"Seeing these high levels of efficacy -- at almost 100% -- in an injectable that people only have to take every six months is incredible," says Colleen Kelley, MD, lead author of the study and professor in the School of Medicine at Emory University.

From Science Daily

“It’s important to send a message that you can’t commit these crimes with impunity, that there are consequences to them,” district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said.

From BBC

None of the parties stressed that argument, but Justice Colleen Zahn acknowledged the majority’s emphasis on it in her dissent.

From Slate

There’s no question that the ruling handed down Thursday by Judge Colleen McMahon in New York landed with a thud among lawyers trying to bring such cases.

From Los Angeles Times

Colleen Jo Matarico, 43, was arrested last week and charged with seven counts of committing lewd acts on a boy she met when he was 12, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• maid
• maiden