girl
gb/ɡˈɚl/ us/ɡˈɚl/
A1
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Female child
A young female person who is not an adult yet.
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] girl
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'girl' with 'woman'. 'Girl' refers to a child, while 'woman' refers to an adult female.
Synonyms
daughter (Specifically refers to a female child in relation to her parents.)
|
lass (Informal or regional term, especially in Scotland or northern England.)
Antonyms
boy (Refers to a male child, the opposite gender of 'girl'.)
Collocations
little girl
|school girl
|young girl
|girl next door
|girl's room
Themes
family
|daily life
|people
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The little girl was playing in the park.
- They have a girl and a boy.
- A girl waved at me from across the street.
- The girl wore a bright red dress.
- She was the only girl in her class.
Learner examples
- The girl is in the garden.
- I see a girl with a hat.
- That girl is my friend.
- The girl runs fast.
- She is a happy girl.
Noun
A1
entity
2
Young female person
A young woman, usually a teenager or in her twenties.
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] girl
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'lady' instead of 'girl' for young females, but 'lady' can sound overly formal or polite in casual contexts.
Synonyms
young woman (More formal and neutral, emphasizes adulthood.)
Antonyms
young man (Refers to a young male person.)
Collocations
teenage girl
|college girl
|working girl
|group of girls
Themes
daily life
|people
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The girls were chatting at the café.
- He met a girl at the party.
- She’s just a normal girl who loves music.
- Many girls joined the sports team this year.
- That girl is studying engineering.
Learner examples
- The girl works at the shop.
- I talk to the girl every day.
- The girls play volleyball.
- He likes the girl in his class.
- A girl sits near me.
Noun
informal
B1
relation
3
Female romantic partner
A woman or young woman you have a romantic relationship with.
Usage pattern:
[someone's] girl
Common mistake:
Learners might confuse 'girl' meaning 'female child' with this romantic meaning. Context is important.
Synonyms
girlfriend (More explicit and standard term for a female romantic partner.)
Antonyms
boyfriend (Male romantic partner; opposite gender equivalent.)
Collocations
my girl
|his girl
|she's my girl
Themes
relationships
|daily life
|daily_life
Examples
- He introduced me to his girl last night.
- That's my girl over there by the bar.
- I think he's looking for a new girl.
- She’s been his girl for two years now.
- They say he treats his girl very well.
Learner examples
- He is with his girl.
- That is my girl over there.
- She is his girl.
- I like my girl very much.
- He talks to his girl every day.
Grammar
Dictionary form
girl
IPA
GB/ɡˈɚl/
US/ɡˈɚl/
Syllables & stress
girl (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (girl)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: girl
- Plural: girls
Word family
Forms
girls
noun
Core family
girlfriend
noun A2
Related words
Advanced or less common
girlishly
adverb
Expressions
girl next door
1/ɡˈɚl nˈɛkst dˈɔɹ/
idiom
Ordinary, friendly young woman nearby
A kind and normal young woman who lives near you or seems like she could.
Examples
- She has that 'girl next door' charm that everyone likes.
- The actress plays a sweet, innocent girl next door in the movie.
girls' night out
1/ɡˈɚlz nˈaɪt ˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
informal
Evening event for women only
A night when women go out together for fun without men.
Examples
- We’re planning a girls’ night out this Friday.
- They had a fantastic girls’ night out at the new restaurant.
girly girl
1/ɡˈɪɹli ɡˈɚl/
fixed phrase
informal
Female with very feminine style/interests
A female who likes things that are thought of as very feminine, like dresses and makeup.
Examples
- She’s such a girly girl—always wearing pink and heels.
- I’m more of a tomboy than a girly girl.
you go, girl
1/jˈu ɡˈoʊ | ɡˈɚl/
idiom
informal
Encouragement to a woman/girl
Something you say to tell a woman or girl she is doing well and should keep going.
Examples
- You got that promotion? You go, girl!
- You go, girl! That was amazing.