What does girl mean?
Girl most commonly denotes a female child, though in some older or informal contexts it can refer to a young woman. The distinction is important because using girl for an adult woman may sound affectionate in a narrow relationship but patronizing or dated elsewhere. As a form of address, girl is also associated with casual American usage; in British English it can sound more distinctly old-fashioned. The word may function as an affectionate label for a daughter or close female friend, and the plural girls often means a group of female friends, coworkers, or participants. In colloquial use, calling someone a girl can imply that they are childish, emotionally immature, or unsuitable for a serious role; such uses can carry strong sexism when applied to adults. Because its meaning depends heavily on age, speaker, tone, and context, girl should be used with attention to whom it describes.
nounA girl is a female child or a young female person. In some informal, historical, or regional contexts, the word can also refer to a young woman.
- A female child.
- A young woman, especially an unmarried one; this use is often dated, informal, or potentially patronizing when applied to an adult.
- A daughter or other female relative, used affectionately, as in “my girl.”
- An informal form of address for a female friend, young woman, or romantic partner.
- A person regarded as childish, emotionally immature, or unsuited to a serious role, usually in a disparaging sense.
"The girl greeted her friends with a bright smile."
"The girl waited by the gate with a book in her hand."
"By then, she was a young woman rather than a girl."
The standard plural is “girls”; in informal contexts it can refer collectively to female friends, coworkers, or participants.
"The girls met for dinner after work."
The familiar word “girl” survives from Old English gyrl, and its history reveals how English has gradually narrowed broad references to young people into distinctly gendered ones.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does girl come from?
The word descends from Old English gyrl, meaning a young woman or maiden, and appears in Middle English in forms such as gurl and girle. Over time, its ordinary reference shifted toward a female child, although the older sense of a young woman remained available. The deeper etymology of Old English gyrl is uncertain, so proposed connections with other Germanic words should be treated cautiously.
Related word forms
How girl is actually used
The word is neutral when referring to a child, but calling an adult woman a “girl” can sound affectionate in a close relationship while sounding patronizing or condescending elsewhere. As a form of address, it is especially associated with casual American English and can sound distinctly old-fashioned in Britain. Its negative use in expressions implying childishness or emotional immaturity may also carry sexist connotations when directed at women.
Easily confused with girl
A girl is a female child or young woman, whereas a grill is a cooking appliance or an outdoor barbecue.