What does batgirl mean?
Batgirl is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The name refers not to a single character but to a mantle adopted by several women who fight crime alongside Batman in Gotham City using bat-themed costumes, gadgets, and vehicles. The original Batgirl, Betty Kane, debuted in 1961, but the version most associated with the name is Barbara Gordon, introduced in 1966 as the police commissioner's daughter. Barbara Gordon remains the definitive Batgirl in popular culture, aided further by her appearance in the 1960s Batman television series played by Yvonne Craig. After being shot and paralyzed by the Joker in a 1988 storyline, she was reinvented as the information broker Oracle. Later characters, including Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, have also carried the title. The word carries playful, pop-culture connotations and is used almost exclusively in fan, media, and merchandising contexts rather than general prose.
nounA female costumed superhero in DC Comics who fights crime using bat-themed gear and identity; the best-known Batgirl is Barbara Gordon, daughter of Gotham City police commissioner Jim Gordon.
- Any of several female DC Comics superheroes who adopt a bat-themed identity to fight crime alongside Batman, most famously Barbara Gordon.
"Barbara Gordon first appeared as Batgirl in a 1966 issue of Detective Comics."
"She dressed as Batgirl for the comic convention, cape and all."
"In the film, Alicia Silverstone portrayed Batgirl opposite George Clooney's Batman."
Used when referring collectively to the different characters who have held the mantle over time.
"Several women have served as Batgirls in DC Comics history."
The most famous Batgirl, librarian Barbara Gordon, later became Oracle — turning a paralyzing injury into one of comics' smartest reinventions.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of batgirl
The name Batgirl was coined by DC Comics in the early 1960s as a feminine counterpart to Batman, combining "bat" — borrowed directly from Batman's established identity, itself inspired by Dracula imagery and Bob Kane and Bill Finger's 1939 creation — with the common English noun "girl." It is therefore a modern commercial coinage of American English rather than a word with deep historical roots, and its closest relatives are other names in Batman's mythos such as Robin, Catwoman, and Batwoman.
Related word forms
How batgirl is actually used
"Batgirl" is a trademarked character name rather than an ordinary dictionary word, so it appears mainly in discussions of comics, films, and fan culture. It is informal in register but widely understood. The name has been used for several distinct characters over time (notably Betty Kane, Barbara Gordon, Cassandra Cain, and Stephanie Brown), so context often determines which Batgirl is meant.
Easily confused with batgirl
Batman is the male caped crusader Bruce Wayne from whom Batgirl's identity derives, whereas Batgirl is one of his female crime-fighting allies.
Catwoman is typically an antiheroine and adversary of Batman, while Batgirl is a heroic ally.