attagirl

[at-uh-gurl]

interjection

Informal.

1. (used as an enthusiastic expression of encouragement or approval to a girl, woman, or female animal.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of attagirl¹

First recorded in 1905–10; attaboy, girl

Example Sentences

Better yet, these personal-best and attagirl bromides offer the advantage of being apolitical, and Trump is nothing if not practiced in the art of generic, apolitical speech — a fact that John Oliver has shrewdly observed.

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He sent her notes, including an attagirl scrawled across her picture in The New York Times Magazine .

Read more on New York Times

Send an “attaboy” or “attagirl” to the kid who does one tiny thing that—as part of a chain of events—helped make the big play happen.

Read more on Time

Approached in a grocery store by a little old lady who asked whether she helped with that shuttle, Hanback thought she was about to get a sweet, neighborly “attagirl.”

Read more on Washington Post

When To Use

What does attagirl mean?

Attagirl is an informal expression of enthusiastic praise or encouragement addressed to girls, women, and female animals (such as one’s dog).Attagirl is an interjection, meaning it’s a term used to express emotion, often outside of a sentence.The term attaboy can be used in the same way to address boys, men, and male animals.Such terms are generally used as a way to cheer someone on, similar to saying “Great job!” or “Way to go!” For example, coaches or parents might say it to a child playing a sport after they’ve done something particularly good.Attagirl is sometimes used as a noun referring to a statement of praise, as in The boss doesn’t usually give out attagirls like that, so she must be pretty impressed.  Example: Attagirl, Sarah! Great catch!