Girl — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈgər(-ə)l/

Meaning & Definition of Girl

Girl (noun)

  1. a female child from birth to adulthood
  2. a person whose gender identity is female
  3. daughter

Girl (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a young unmarried woman

    "he's engaged to a girl that his parents really like"

    similar: damsel, demoiselle, maid, maiden, miss
    related: virgin, deb, debutante, ingenue, bird (chiefly British), chit, filly, lass, lassie, sheila (Australian & New Zealand), sister, colleen, mademoiselle, senhorita, senorita

  2. a female person who has not yet reached adulthood

    "when I was a girl, I wanted a horse so badly"

    similar: filly, lass, lassie, miss, missy, nymph, sheila (Australian & New Zealand)
    related: bobby-soxer, junior miss, schoolgirl, subdebutante, teenybopper, gamine, hoyden, pixie, romp, snip, tomboy

  3. a female romantic companion

    "found an old letter by my grandfather asking my grandmother to be his girl"

    similar: gal, gill, girlfriend, inamorata, lady, ladylove, old lady, woman
    related: mistress, moll, beloved, darling, dear, favorite, flame, honey, love, lover, significant other, sweet, sweetheart, valentine

Related Entry: Girl Friday (noun)

Girl Friday is a different word from Girl. The synonyms below are for girl Friday, not for girl.

  1. as in gal Friday

    similar: gal Friday, employee, hand, help, hireling, laborer, swamper, worker, man Friday, right hand, auxiliary, legman, subordinate, underling, aide-de-camp, attendant, handmaiden, maid, maidservant, scullion, servant, adjunct, adjutant, aid, aide, apprentice, assistant, coadjutor, deputy, helper, helpmate, helpmeet, lieutenant, mate, sidekick

Related Entry: Girl Fridays (noun)

Girl Fridays is a different word from Girl. The synonyms below are for girl Fridays, not for girl.

  1. as in gal Fridays

    similar: gal Fridays, employees, hands, help, hirelings, laborers, swampers, workers, man Fridays, right hands, auxiliaries, legmen, subordinates, underlings, aides-de-camp, attendants, handmaidens, maids, maidservants, scullions, servants, adjuncts, adjutants, aides, aids, apprentices, assistants, coadjutors, deputies, helpers, helpmates, helpmeets, lieutenants, mates, sidekicks

Related Entry: Call girl (noun)

Call girl is a different word from Girl. The synonyms below are for call girl, not for girl.

  1. a woman who engages in sexual activities for money

    "was a rising star in politics until a story about drugs and call girls came out"

    similar: bawd (old-fashioned), cocotte, courtesan, drab, hooker (informal + disapproving), hustler, prostitute, sex worker, streetwalker, tart (informal + disapproving), woman of the street (disparaging)
    related: madam, madame, chippie (slang, disapproving), doxy (old-fashioned, disapproving), floozy, tramp (disparaging), hussy, jade, minx, coquette, flirt, libertine, siren, tempter, temptress, vamp

Related Entry: House girl (noun)

House girl is a different word from Girl. The synonyms below are for house girl, not for girl.

  1. a female domestic servant

    "toiled several years as a house girl at a large estate"

    similar: biddy, char (British), charwoman, handmaiden, housekeeper, housemaid, maid, maidservant, skivvy (British), wench (old-fashioned)
    related: attendant, chambermaid, abigail, lady-in-waiting, maid-in-waiting, au pair, nursemaid, domestic, menial, amah, ayah

Related Entry: Cover girl (noun)

Cover girl is a different word from Girl. The synonyms below are for cover girl, not for girl.

  1. as in bathing beauty, pinup girl

    similar: bathing beauty, pinup girl, belle, charmer, peach, houri, babe, beauty, beauty queen, cookie, cutie, dolly bird (British), enchantress, eyeful, fox, goddess, honey, knockout, queen, stunner, cutie-pie, dish, doll, dreamboat (slang), hottie, looker, pretty, coquette, femme fatale, siren, temptress, vamp
    opposite: bag, frump, crone, hag, witch

Related Entry: Pinup girl (noun)

Pinup girl is a different word from Girl. The synonyms below are for pinup girl, not for girl.

  1. as in cover girl, bathing beauty

    similar: bathing beauty, cover girl, belle, charmer, peach, houri, babe, beauty, beauty queen, cookie, cutie, dolly bird (British), enchantress, eyeful, fox, goddess, honey, knockout, queen, stunner, cutie-pie, dish, doll, dreamboat (slang), hottie, looker, pretty, coquette, femme fatale, siren, temptress, vamp
    opposite: bag, frump, crone, hag, witch

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Girl

The most common words with a similar meaning to Girl:

Australian & New Zealand: sheila
damsel, demoiselle, maid, maiden, miss, filly, lass, lassie, missy, nymph, gal, gill, girlfriend, inamorata, lady, ladylove, old lady, woman

Related Words for Girl

virgin, deb, debutante, ingenue, bird, chit, sister, colleen, mademoiselle, senhorita, senorita, bobby-soxer, junior miss, schoolgirl, subdebutante, teenybopper, gamine, hoyden, pixie, romp, snip, tomboy, mistress, moll, beloved, darling, dear, favorite, flame, honey

Word Forms of Girl

Inflections: girls

Derived words: girlhood (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Girl

Middle English gurle, girle young person of either sex

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Girl

Words & Phrases Containing Girl

girl Friday, Girl Guide, Girl Scout, girl next door, altar girl, ball girl, bat girl, B-girl, call girl

Frequently Asked Questions about Girl

What does "Girl" mean?

"Girl" means a female child from birth to adulthood. As a noun, it is defined as: a female child from birth to adulthood. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Girl"?

Other words for "Girl" include damsel, demoiselle, maid, maiden, miss, filly, lass and lassie. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Girl" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Girl"?

There are 55 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Girl". Common alternatives include damsel, demoiselle, maid, maiden, miss, filly, lass, lassie, missy and nymph.

How do you use "Girl" in a sentence?

Examples of "Girl" in a sentence: "he's engaged to a girl that his parents really like"; "when I was a girl, I wanted a horse so badly"; "found an old letter by my grandfather asking my grandmother to be his girl".

Is "Girl" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Girl" is a noun.

Is "Girl" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Girl" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Girl"?

"Girl" is pronounced /ˈgər(-ə)l/.

What is the origin of the word "Girl"?

"Girl" comes from Middle English gurle, girle young person of either sex. First known use: 14th century.