Synonyms

girlish

American

[gur-lish] / ˈgɜr lɪʃ /

adjective

of, like, or befitting a girl or girlhood.

girlish laughter.

girlish British

/ ˈɡɜːlɪʃ /

adjective

of or like a girl in looks, behaviour, innocence, etc

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of girlish

First recorded in 1555–65; girl + -ish ¹

Vocabulary lists containing girlish

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ish

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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.

"I had girlish manners, a girlish voice," he would later say.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Isolde is a mercurial character, and Ms. Davidsen expressed her simmering rage, her girlish flirtatiousness, and her serenity in the “Liebestod.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Wittingly or not, Gaines seems to understand that her ability to play the “victim” of these supposedly demonic trans forces depends on presenting herself as girlish.

From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025

Often, Bannon will toss the mic, virtually, to his 23-year-old co-host Natalie Winters, a blond Californian who has a side business selling a girlish right-wing clothing line.

From Slate • Nov. 25, 2024

Susan Calvin rose to her feet with a vivacity almost girlish.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023