gal

¹ American  

[gal] / gæl /

noun

Informal: Sometimes Offensive.

1. a term used to refer to a girl or woman.

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gal ² American  

[gal] / gæl /

noun

1. a centimeter-gram-second unit of acceleration, equal to one centimeter per second per second.

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gal. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. gallon; gallons.

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Gal. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

Bible.

1. Galatians.

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Gal. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Galatians

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GAL ² British  

abbreviation

1. get a life

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gal ³ British  

/ ɡæl /

noun

1. slang a girl

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gal. ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. gallon

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gal ⁵ British  

/ ɡæl /

noun

1. a unit of acceleration equal to 1 centimetre per second per second

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gal. Scientific  

1. Abbreviation of gallon

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Sensitive Note

See girl.

Etymology

Origin of gal¹

First recorded in 1785–95; originally, a dialectal pronunciation of girl

Origin of gal²

First recorded in 1910–15; named after Galileo

Example Sentences

Anybody who was husband fodder for a country gal like Tansy would have to stand up to butchering day.

From Literature

I’ve since accepted that I am a gal who likes to be in her pajamas for as long as possible in the morning, reading on the couch.

From Los Angeles Times

Her accent alternates mid-sentence from city gal to snidely British, Ida loudly accusing a mob boss of murdering women.

From Los Angeles Times

By the time we had the old gals taken care of, my hands were hurting all over.

From Literature

Some years later I was at a dance and met a pretty gal from Blue River.

From Literature

Related Words

• female
• girl
• woman