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

A Sun Valley man was convicted Tuesday for his role in the killings of the mother and stepfather of a 17-year-old girl whom he met through the “furry” subculture, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times

Frank Sato Felix was 25 years old when he and then-21-year-old Joshua Charles Acosta, an Army mechanic, met the girl.

From Los Angeles Times

Acosta’s attorney noted during that trial that the teenage girl had lied to police and prosecutors, including alleging that her mother had abused her and had previously denied telling anyone about the alleged abuse.

From Los Angeles Times

A teenage girl who died after being hit by a car after leaving a stationary police vehicle on the M5, has been named.

From BBC

In her final days at Harrods, Helen remembers a new girl starting who seemed "so young and naive", like she once had been.

From BBC

Related Words

• child
• kid
• little one
• young one
• youngster