girl
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Related to girl: Gurl
girl
(gûrl)n.
1. A female child.
2. A daughter: our youngest girl.
3. Often Offensive A woman.
4. Informal
a. A woman socializing with a group of women: a night out with the girls.
b. Used as a familiar form of address to express support of or camaraderie with a woman.
5. Informal A female sweetheart: cadets escorting their girls to the ball.
6. Offensive A female servant or employee.
[Middle English girle, child, girl, of unknown origin.]
girl′hood′ n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
girl
(ɡɜːl)n
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 South African a Black female servant of any age
8. the girls (usually plural) informal a group of women, esp acquaintances
[C13: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Low German Göre boy, girl]
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
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
girl
(gɜrl)n.
1. a female child, from birth to full growth.
2. a young, immature woman, esp., formerly, an unmarried one.
3. a daughter: My wife and I have two girls.
4. Usu. Offensive. a grown woman.
5. girlfriend; sweetheart.
6. Usu. Offensive.
a. a female servant.
b. a female employee.
7. a female who is from or native to a given place: She's a Missouri girl.
8. girls, (used with a sing. or pl. v.)
a. a range of sizes from 7 to 14, for garments made for girls.
b. a garment in this size range.
[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 late Old English period, and hence used as a metonym)]
usage: Many women today resent being called girls or the less formal gals. In business and professional offices, the girl or my girl in reference to one's secretary has decreased but not disappeared. Such terms as the girls for a group of women, girl or gal friday for a female assistant, and bachelor girl for an unmarried woman are frequently regarded as offensive. Working girl in the sense “a woman who works,” as well as girl in reference to one's maid or housekeeper, are increasingly considered offensive and are declining in use. See also lady, woman.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
girl
Girl is used in two different ways.
It is used to refer to a female child.
...a girl of eleven.
The boys and girls cheered.
It is also used to refer to a young woman up to the age of about 30.
We'd been invited to the wedding of a girl we knew.
At the next table was a pretty girl waiting for someone.
1. 'little girl'
You can refer to a girl up to the age of 10 as a little girl.
She's a very well behaved little girl.
2. 'young woman'
Many young women object to being referred to as girls. Instead they prefer to be referred to as women. In formal writing, the expression young woman is used, instead of 'girl'.
The Society aims to serve the needs of young women.
In American English, young people sometimes use female to talk about young women, tp avoid using woman or girl.
I cannot say for certain, as she is a female.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  girl - a young woman; "a young lady of 18"belle - a young woman who is the most charming and beautiful of several rivals; "she was the belle of the ball" bimbo - a young woman indulged by rich and powerful older men chachka, tchotchke, tchotchkeleh, tsatske, tshatshke - (Yiddish) an attractive, unconventional woman chit - a dismissive term for a girl who is immature or who lacks respect; "she was incensed that this chit of a girl should dare to make a fool of her in front of the class"; "she's a saucy chit" colleen - an Irish girl flapper - a young woman in the 1920s who flaunted her unconventional conduct and dress gal - alliterative term for girl (or woman) gamine - a girl of impish appeal Gibson girl - the idealized American girl of the 1890s as pictured by C. D. Gibson May queen, queen of the May - the girl chosen queen of a May Day festival mill-girl - a girl who works in a mill party girl - an attractive young woman hired to attend parties and entertain men peri - a beautiful and graceful girl ring girl - a young woman who holds up cards indicating the number of the next round at prize fights rosebud - (a literary reference to) a pretty young girl shop girl - a young female shop assistant soubrette - a pert or flirtatious young girl sweater girl - a girl with an attractive bust who wears tight sweaters valley girl - a girl who grew up in the tract housing in the San Fernando Valley adult female, woman - an adult female person (as opposed to a man); "the woman kept house while the man hunted" working girl - a young woman who is employed |
| 2. |  girl - a youthful female person; "the baby was a girl"; "the girls were just learning to ride a tricycle"female person, female - a person who belongs to the sex that can have babies Campfire Girl - a girl who is a member of Campfire Girls; for girls age 7-18 farm girl - a girl who has grown up on a farm flower girl - a young girl who carries flowers in a (wedding) procession moppet - a little girl (usually one you are fond of) schoolgirl - a girl attending school Scout - a Boy Scout or Girl Scout boy, male child - a youthful male person; "the baby was a boy"; "she made the boy brush his teeth every night"; "most soldiers are only boys in uniform" | |
| 3. |  girl - a female human offspring; "her daughter cared for her in her old age"female offspring - a child who is female mother's daughter - a daughter who is favored by and similar to her mother | |
| 4. |  girl - a girl or young woman with whom a man is romantically involved; "his girlfriend kicked him out"lover - a person who loves someone or is loved by someone adult female, woman - an adult female person (as opposed to a man); "the woman kept house while the man hunted" | |
| 5. | girl - a friendly informal reference to a grown woman; "Mrs. Smith was just one of the girls" adult female, woman - an adult female person (as opposed to a man); "the woman kept house while the man hunted" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
girl
noun
1. female child, schoolgirl, lass, lassie (informal), miss, maiden (archaic), maid (archaic) an eleven-year-old girl
2. daughter, female child My sister has two little girls.
Related words
fear parthenophobia
fear parthenophobia
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
dívkaholčičkaholkaděvče
pigetøs
fraŭlinoknabinoservistinovirino
plikatüdruk
دختر
tyttölikkapiika
djevojčicadjevojka
lányleánynőszolgaszolgálónő
stúlkastúlka, stelpaþernaþjónustustúlka
少女
소녀아가씨
puella
draugėmergaitėmergaitiškasmerginaskautė
jaunietemeitene
dievča
dekledeklicahčidekla
flickajäntatjejtös
เด็กผู้หญิง
con gáithiếu nữ
girl
[gɜːl]A. N → chica f, muchacha f; (= small) → niña f; (= young woman) → chica f, joven f; (= servant) → criada f, chica f (= girlfriend) → novia f, polola f (Chile)
factory girl → obrera f
shop girl → dependienta f
old girl (Brit) [of school] → ex-alumna f, antigua alumna f (o.f.) (= elderly woman) → señora f, abuelita f
the old girl (Brit) (= wife) → la parienta; (= mother) → la vieja
now listen to me, my girl! → ¡escúchame, guapa!
factory girl → obrera f
shop girl → dependienta f
old girl (Brit) [of school] → ex-alumna f, antigua alumna f (o.f.) (= elderly woman) → señora f, abuelita f
the old girl (Brit) (= wife) → la parienta; (= mother) → la vieja
now listen to me, my girl! → ¡escúchame, guapa!
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
girl
[ˈgɜːrl] n (= child) → fille f, fillette f
a five-year-old girl → une petite fille de cinq ans, une fillette de cinq ans
a little girl → une petite fille, une fillette
a little English girl → une petite Anglaise
a baby girl → une petite fille, un bébé
a girls' school → une école de filles
a five-year-old girl → une petite fille de cinq ans, une fillette de cinq ans
a little girl → une petite fille, une fillette
a little English girl → une petite Anglaise
a baby girl → une petite fille, un bébé
a girls' school → une école de filles
(= young unmarried woman) → jeune fille
a sixteen-year-old girl → une jeune fille de seize ans
an English girl → une jeune Anglaise
teenage girls → les adolescentes
a sixteen-year-old girl → une jeune fille de seize ans
an English girl → une jeune Anglaise
teenage girls → les adolescentes
the girls (= female friends) → les filles
the birthday girl → celle dont c'est l'anniversairegirl band n → girls band m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
girl
n
→ Mädchen nt; (= daughter) → Tochter f; (= girlfriend) → Freundin f; an English girl → eine Engländerin; they are hoping for a little girl → sie wünschen sich (dat) → ein Töchterchen; the Smith girls → die Smith-Mädchen, die Mädchen von den Smiths; my eldest girl → meine älteste Tochter, meine Älteste; the girls (= colleagues) → die Damen; girls’ night out → Damengesellschaft f; I’m going out with the girls tonight → ich gehe heute Abend mit meinen Freundinnen aus; thank you, girls → vielen Dank; the old girl → die Alte (inf) → or alte Frau; (inf, = wife, mother) → meine/seine etc Alte (inf) ? big
girl
:girl band
n (Mus) → Girlband f
girl Friday
n → Allroundsekretärin f
girlfriend
n → Freundin f
Girl Guide
n (Brit) → Pfadfinderin f
girlhood
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
girl
[gɜːl] n (child) → bambina, ragazzina; (young unmarried woman) → signorina, ragazza; (daughter) → figlia, figliola (fam) (girlfriend) → ragazzaa little girl → una bambina
factory girl → operaia
shop girl → commessa
the old girl next door (fam) → la vecchia qui accanto
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
girl
(gəːl) noun1. a female child. Her new baby is a girl.
2. a young usually unmarried woman.
ˈgirlish adjective of or like a girl. girlish laughter.
ˈgirl-friend noun a girl or woman who is often in the company of a particular man or boy. He is taking his girl-friend to the cinema tonight.
Girl Guide (also Guide), (American) Girl Scout (also no capitals) a member of an organization for girls which is aimed at developing character etc.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
girl
→ بِنْت, فَتَاةٌ dívka pige, tøs Mädchen κοπέλα, κορίτσι chica, muchacha tyttö fille, jeune fille djevojčica, djevojka ragazza 少女 소녀, 아가씨 meisje jente dziewczyna menina, moça, rapariga девочка, девушка flicka เด็กผู้หญิง genç kız, kız con gái, thiếu nữ 女孩, 少女Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
girl
n niña, muchacha, chicaEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.