girl S1 W1 /ɡɜːl $ ɡɜːrl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: gurle , girle 'child, young person' (13-15 centuries) , of unknown origin ]
1 . CHILD a female child ⇨ boy :
Both boys and girls can apply to join the choir.
little/small/young girl
I’ve known Mollie ever since I was a little girl.
five-year-old girl/girl of ten etc
The patient was a girl of 12.
Girls! Please be quiet.
a teenage girl
2 . DAUGHTER a daughter ⇨ boy :
They have two girls and a boy.
sb’s little girl
How old’s your little girl (=sb’s young daughter) now?
Time for bed, girls!
3 . WOMAN a word meaning a woman, especially a young woman, which is considered offensive by some women:
I’ll invite some of the girls from the office.
Steve’s married to a lovely Dutch girl.
4 . the girls informal a group of women who are friends and often go out together:
I’m going out with the girls tonight.
5 . ANIMAL used when speaking to a female animal, especially a dog, cat, or horse ⇨ boy :
Bring me the stick. Good girl!
6 . girl American English spoken informal used by a woman when she is speaking to another woman she knows well:
Hey, girl. What’s up?
7 . (you) go, girl! American English spoken informal used to encourage a girl or woman, or to say that you agree with what she is saying
8 . GIRLFRIEND old-fashioned a word for a woman who you are having a romantic relationship with SYN girlfriend
9 . my girl old-fashioned used by an older person when speaking to a girl or woman who is younger than they are, or when they are annoyed:
Listen to me, my girl!
10 . factory girl/shop girl/office girl old-fashioned a young woman who works in a factory, shop, office etc
11 . SERVANT old-fashioned a woman servant
⇨ ↑ old girl
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ woman a female adult person:
a young woman with dark brown hair
▪ lady a polite word for a woman – used especially when you do not know the woman, or when the person you are talking to does not know the woman:
A glass of white wine please, for this lady here.
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The young lady stood up and shook my hand.
▪ girl a young female person – usually used about someone younger than about twenty:
a very pretty girl
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teenage girls
▪ female formal a woman – used especially when you are giving information about women, for example in formal surveys and reports:
Females account for 46% of Internet users.