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Synonyms

girlfriend

American  
[gurl-frend] / ˈgɜrlˌfrɛnd /
Or girl friend

noun

  1. a frequent or favorite female companion; sweetheart.

  2. a female friend.


girlfriend British  
/ ˈɡɜːlˌfrɛnd /

noun

  1. a female friend with whom a man or boy is romantically or sexually involved; sweetheart

  2. any female friend

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of girlfriend

First recorded in 1855–60; girl + friend

Compare meaning

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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.

It was a petty beef arising from disrespectful comments made to someone’s girlfriend, but Tylon Hardy responded anyway.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Sitting in the front row was his girlfriend Paula Hurd, one of his sisters and Larry Cohen, the longtime CEO of Gates Ventures and his right-hand man.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

Phillips, who was Talley’s predecessor as Collins’ chief of staff, is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that he hired his girlfriend for a no-show job and otherwise misused official funds.

From Slate • May 28, 2026

Mills-Smith fled Wales to his father's home in Suffolk, but he needed the help of his mother and girlfriend to pay for a coach ticket to London.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Sinay, who was Russo’s girlfriend, explained that she ran a small advertising agency.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

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