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shopgirl

[ shop-gurl ]

noun

  1. a salesgirl; female store clerk.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of shopgirl1

First recorded in 1760–70; shop + girl
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Example Sentences

“Shopgirl” and “NY152” could teach online dating a lesson or two.

Maggie's dress was just the ordinary shirt-waist and skirt that the shopgirl and her sisters wear; Hunt had ordered it so.

The enthusiasms of the American shopgirl, I take it, are very much the same as those of her English sister.

The shopgirl made a little bow and the silvery bell jangled again as Betty opened the door.

Something clung to it now as she drew it forth, but neither Betty nor the shopgirl saw the dangling twist of tissue paper.

It was Bobby whom Betty wanted to have the blue blouse just as soon as the shopgirl finished it.

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About This Word

What does shopgirl mean?

Shopgirl was once commonly used as a word for a girl or woman whose job is to sell products or help customers in a retail shop.

The term is often considered outdated and demeaning due to the use of the word girl when such workers are often women. The same is the case for the synonym salesgirl.

The terms salesclerk, salesperson, and sales rep (or sales representative) can be used to mean the same thing without specifying gender.

Where does shopgirl come from?

The first records of the word shopgirl come from the mid-1700s. The ending -girl is also used in salesgirl, as well as in common words like schoolgirl and cowgirl, but schoolgirl always refers to girls, as opposed to women, and cowgirl is modeled after the word cowboy.

While in some cases the people referred to as shopgirls may be teenagers, the term has traditionally been applied regardless of age. Shopgirl is especially associated with women who work at retail sales counters, such as those in department stores or in smaller shops.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for shopgirl?

What are some words that share a root or word element with shopgirl

What are some words that often get used in discussing shopgirl?

How is shopgirl used in real life?

Shopgirl is often considered demeaning and is used less commonly than it used to be.

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