girl

[gurl]

noun

1. a female child, from birth to full growth.

2. a young, immature woman, especially formerly, an unmarried one.

3. a daughter.

   My wife and I have two girls.

4. Informal: Sometimes Offensive.,  a grown woman, especially when referred to familiarly.

   She's having the girls over for bridge next week.

5. a girlfriend; sweetheart.

6. Older Use: Usually Offensive.,  a female servant, as a maid.

7. Older Use: Usually Offensive.,  a female employee, especially an office assistant.

8. a female who is from or native to a given place.

   She's a Missouri girl.

9. (used with a singular or plural verb),  girls,

   1. a range of sizes from 7 to 14, for garments made for girls.

   2. a garment in this size range.

   3. the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.

10. Slang.,  girls, one's breasts (usually preceded by the, my, etc., and primarily used self-referentially by women).

girl

/ ɡɜːl /

noun

1. a female child from birth to young womanhood

2. a young unmarried woman; lass; maid

3. informal,  a sweetheart or girlfriend

4. informal,  a woman of any age

5. an informal word for daughter

6. a female employee, esp a female servant

7. derogatory,  a Black female servant of any age

8. informal,  (usually plural) a group of women, esp acquaintances

Usage

The use of girl as in meaning 4 , to refer to a woman of any age, is highly likely to be considered old-fashioned or to cause offence

Sensitive Note

Some adult women are offended if referred to as a girl, or informally, a gal. However, a group of adult female friends often refer to themselves as the girls, and their “girls night out” implies the company of adult females. Also, a woman may express camaraderie by addressing another woman as girl, as in You go, girl! or Attagirl! Referring to one's female office assistant or housekeeper as the girl or my girl, once in common use, is now considered unacceptable. Working girl, meaning “a woman who works,” girl/gal Friday, meaning “a female office assistant,” and other occupational terms such as career girl and college girl, are also dated and often perceived as insulting. Working girl as a slang term meaning “a prostitute” is sometimes used by female prostitutes as a euphemistic self-reference. See also lady, woman.

Word History and Origins

Origin of girl¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gurle, girle, gerle “child, young person”; compare Old English gyrela, gi(e)rela “item of dress, apparel” (presumably worn by the young in the late Old English period, and hence used as a metonym)

Word History and Origins

Origin of girl¹

C13: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Low German Göre boy, girl

Example Sentences

Like most young girls with big dreams, there’s only one thing that can slow her forward momentum and that is, of course, a boy.

From Los Angeles Times

The following day, he attempted to kiss the girl, placed his hand on her thigh and became "visibly aroused" when asking her to kiss her friend.

From BBC

There are also the survivors themselves — over 1,000 women, many of whom who were underage girls at the time, according to the FBI.

From Salon

She took refuge in the hills and moorlands of Yorkshire; the photographer Cecil Beaton, a regular visitor, described her as "the perfect outdoor girl".

From BBC

But I never had that barrier of 'girls can't play' or 'it's not girls' football' because my family and my brother were some of the best examples of it.

From BBC

Related Words

• child 
• kid 
• little one www.thesaurus.com
• young one 
• youngster 

When To Use

Where does the word girl come from?

The word girl, meaning "a female child," originally meant any "child" or "young person," regardless of gender. Girl, for "child," is recorded around 1250–1300.However, the original source of the word is uncertain. Scholars point to Old English words like gyrela, "an item of dress, apparel," presumably of a type worn by and popular with a young person back then.Guess what other word has obscure roots? Boy. Discover why in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From."