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

Defa Press, which is affiliated with Iran’s Defense Ministry, published a recruitment poster featuring a teenage boy and a veiled girl, both smiling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Ortega: They were thinking of replacing me with a very little girl.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

My great-grandmother’s diary reveals a girl ecstatic to grow corn for our troops.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

The lyric, "I'll cry my eyes violet", refers to the star's famously entrancing eyes; and the line "what could you possibly get for the girl who has everything" namechecks one of her films.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

More likely, he’d be chased out with flaming pitchforks, like in that book about the girl and the beast.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

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