girlfriend
Americannoun
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a female friend with whom a man or boy is romantically or sexually involved; sweetheart
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any female friend
Etymology
Origin of girlfriend
Compare meaning
How does girlfriend compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Vocabulary lists containing girlfriend
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The flowers, the dog, my girlfriend singing to the ocean,” Faena said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
It sounds, from what you say in your letter, like your husband wants a girlfriend, not a wife.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
"The suspect resides at the location with his mother, who is the victim's girlfriend," a statement added.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
An arbitrator has sided with former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt, saying in a preliminary ruling that he was not guilty of sexual assault against his former girlfriend and business partner Michelle Ritter.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
“But, Lena, you haven’t gotten the chance yet to meet...” said Molly loudly, hoping that her old girlfriend would change the topic of conversation.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.