WordGarden.iogirl
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈɜːl/
US
- /ˈɡɜrl/
Meanings
Noun
a female child or young female person
a daughter
(informal)a young woman or adult woman, especially in informal reference
More meaningsFewer meanings
a female friend or member of a familiar social group
a girlfriend or female romantic partner
Beyond the definition
The word "girl" most often means a female child or a young female person. It is the usual word for someone who has not yet become an adult. People also use it for a daughter, especially when speaking in a warm and familiar way. In some situations, it may also refer to a young woman.
Sometimes people use "girl" for an adult woman in casual speech, but this can sound dismissive or too informal, especially in serious or professional settings. The meaning depends a lot on context, tone, and the relationship between the speakers.
The word "girl" usually refers to a female child, from early childhood through the teenage years. In everyday life, it is the normal word for talking about a daughter, a schoolchild, or any young female person who is not yet an adult. In some cases, it can also refer to a young woman, especially in casual speech.
The word can carry different feelings depending on how it is used. When it refers to a child, it is neutral and natural. When it is used for an adult woman, it may sound friendly, playful, or affectionate in informal situations, but it can also sound disrespectful, old-fashioned, or belittling if the setting is formal or serious. Because of that, many people prefer "woman" when speaking about adults.
The meaning has also changed over time. In older English, the word could refer more generally to a young person, but in modern English it is strongly linked to females. It also appears in common names and expressions such as "girlhood," "girlfriend," and "Girl Scout." Overall, "girl" is a common everyday word that mainly points to age and sex, while context decides whether it sounds warm, casual, or inappropriate.
Examples
- 1
Child
The little girl waved at us from the doorway.
- 2
Classroom
There are six girls and seven boys in the class.
- 3
Childhood
As a girl, she spent every summer at her grandparents' farm.
- Phraseas a girl
when she was a child
- 4
English class
I met a girl from Brazil in my English class.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
School team
She's the only girl on the school chess team.
- 6
Friends
I'm going out with the girls on Friday night.
- Phrasethe girls
a group of female friends
- 7
Adult reference
I used to work with a girl named Marta in Madrid.
- Caution
for an adult, woman is often more neutral than girl
- 8
School type
She went to an all-girls school until she was sixteen.
- Phraseall-girls school
a school for girls only
See also
Similar
- female child
- lass
Shades of meaning
- daughter
- schoolgirl
- young woman
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- little girl
- baby girl
- teenage girl
- girl next door
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- girlnoun
Forms
- girlspluralnoun