Rhymes with Girl
- unfurl
- whirl
- twirl
- swirl
- sperl
- wurl
- whorl
- shirl
- searle
- searl
- perle
- perl
- pearle
- pearl
- nerl
- merle
- merl
- kerl
- hurl
- herl
- hearl
- curl
- burl
- birle
- berle
- erl
- earll
- earle
- earl
How do you pronounce girl?
Pronounce girl as gərl.
US — How to pronounce girl in American English
UK — How to pronounce girl in British English
Sentences with girl
Quotes about girl
We compiled a list of British slang terms for women. Be careful since there are some nasty examples in this article.
British Slang For Woman (in Alphabetical Order)
Bint
Meaning:
- (Noun) An offensive and vulgar slang for women, especially prostitutes or those with promiscuous activities.
- Example: Being sexually active does not mean that you are a bint. It is healthy to be casual and live life in what way you want as long as you are safe.
Bird
Meaning:
- (Noun) Primarily British, “bird” is used to refer to a young woman or girl.
- Example: You birds must always keep safe. You never know what people around you might be trying to pull.
Bonnie
Meaning:
- (Noun) Chiefly Scottish slang for an attractive female or woman. Sometimes used in Australia.
- Example: My daughter is a big Bonnie. She is the most beautiful in my eyes, right after her mother.
Carlin
Meaning:
- (Noun) Used in the UK as somewhat derogatory slang for an old and nasty woman.
- Example: The nice old lady down the street was called Carlin by the kids just because of her worn-out clothes.
Covess
Meaning:
- (Noun) An archaic British slang that is the equivalent of “cove” for women. This means that it is a generally neutral term for adult females.
- Example: The covess was strict about her policies but she was a helpful landlady.
Ginch
Meaning:
- (Noun) This vulgar slang originally referred to “vagina.” However, some have used this taboo term to refer to a woman, primarily as some object or sexual partner.
- Example: You keep treating the ladies as your ginches. You are sick and in need of some attitude adjustment.
Gooseberry Pudding
Meaning:
- (Noun) A Cockney rhyming slang for “woman.”
- Example: Hey, Gooseberry Pudding! You forgot your purse at the cafe!
Hen
Meaning:
- (Noun) A term of affection by the Scottish people for the ladies. It acts similarly to “sweetheart.”
- Example: That sweet hen protected her kids and did the best she could to provide for them after his husband left. Show some respect.
Mort
Meaning:
- (Noun) Another obsolete UK slang for female. It primarily was popularized by thieves in their codes.
- Example: The mort was always attacked by the dog. It’s a good thing that the owner was able to hold the leash well.
Old Dear
Meaning:
- (Noun) A British slang used for older women, usually grandmothers, who appears to be always confused or dazed.
- Example: She is an old dear. She might be dosing sometimes but she often is reminiscing about her departed husband.
Polone
Meaning:
- (Noun) Another Cockney rhyming slang for woman.
- Example: The brave Polone in the village led the rebellion against the power-hungry king. She became a hero commemorated by everyone.
Sheila
Meaning:
- (Noun) Derived from a popular girl’s name, the Irish use this as slang for a woman. It is also used in Australia.
- Example: My Sheilas are going to be great people and I am going to support them at every step.
- Top Definitions
- Quiz
- Related Content
- More About Girl
- Examples
- British
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
See synonyms for: girl / girls on Thesaurus.com
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
a female child, from birth to full growth.
a young, immature woman, especially formerly, an unmarried one.
a daughter: My wife and I have two girls.
Informal: Sometimes Offensive. a grown woman, especially when referred to familiarly: She’s having the girls over for bridge next week.
Older Use: Usually Offensive. a female servant, as a maid.
Older Use: Usually Offensive. a female employee, especially an office assistant.
a female who is from or native to a given place: She’s a Missouri girl.
girls, (used with a singular or plural verb)
- a range of sizes from 7 to 14, for garments made for girls.
- a garment in this size range.
- the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.
girls, Slang. one’s breasts (usually preceded by the, my, etc., and primarily used self-referentially by women).
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of girl
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gurle, girle, gerle “child, young person”; compare Old English gyrela, gi(e)rela “item of dress, apparel” (presumably worn by the young in the late Old English period, and hence used as a metonym)
usage note for girl
Some adult women are offended if referred to as a girl, or informally, a gal. However, a group of adult female friends often refer to themselves as the girls, and their “girls night out” implies the company of adult females. Also, a woman may express camaraderie by addressing another woman as girl, as in You go, girl! or Attagirl!
Referring to one’s female office assistant or housekeeper as the girl or my girl, once in common use, is now considered unacceptable. Working girl, meaning “a woman who works,” girl/gal Friday, meaning “a female office assistant,” and other occupational terms such as career girl and college girl, are also dated and often perceived as insulting. Working girl as a slang term meaning “a prostitute” is sometimes used by female prostitutes as a euphemistic self-reference. See also lady, woman.
Words nearby girl
girdlescone, girdle-tailed lizard, girdle traverse, gird one’s loins, Girgenti, girl, girl band, girl Friday, girlfriend, girlfriend experience, girl guide
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT GIRL
Where does the word girl come from?
The word girl, meaning “a female child,” originally meant any “child” or “young person,” regardless of gender. Girl, for “child,” is recorded around 1250–1300.
However, the original source of the word is uncertain. Scholars point to Old English words like gyrela, “an item of dress, apparel,” presumably of a type worn by and popular with a young person back then.
Guess what other word has obscure roots? Boy. Discover why in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From.”
Did you know … ?
While it is usually used to mean “female child,” the word girl is also sometimes used in reference to young adult or adult women, such as in girl bands or a girlfriend. Parents also use the word girls for their daughters of any age.
While it is often used in a similar manner to its male counterpart boy, the word girl can have sexist implications that boy does not—although boy has its own racist past. For example, the idea of “a boy acting like a girl” is often used as a sexist or even anti-gay insult that doesn’t have an exact equivalent in “a girl acting like a boy.” The word tomboy, in fact, can often carry a positive connotation.
Similarly, referring to adult women as girls can have demeaning or sexist implications that aren’t always as prevalent when using boy to refer to an adult man (e.g., “Boys will be boys”).
That said, please note that referring to a Black adult man or other male members of minority groups as boy is racist.
Words related to girl
How to use girl in a sentence
-
Another cheer parent, April Grant, told VOSD she also found the reasoning they cut Ingalls’ daughter suspect, because several other girls caught vaping in recent years made the team.
-
If you find a girl who is interested in calculus, you don’t squash that.
-
She’s the girl next door that millennials grew up with, from her debut on Saved by the Bell and as a cheerleader on Bring It On.
-
Data from the CRISPR’d baby girls, for example, showed that the experiment littered their genomes with off-target edits at the embryo stage.
-
The good news is that the Malala Fund and its partners are working to mitigate some of the current challenges to girls’ learning.
-
The brother of a girl who made her debut in New Orleans society was shaking his fists in excitement.
-
But, but … there was a token black girl in the background, Target cried in its defense!
-
Once upon a time, a girl named Onika Maraj dreamed of being an actress.
-
But religious tolerance would be a wholesome goodie for every boy and girl.
-
They made quiet plans together, saying that when they had a child together, they wanted a girl called Grace.
-
Was he really condemned to an eternal solitude because of the girl who had died so many years ago?
-
The two little Pontelliers were with him, and he carried Madame Ratignolle’s little girl in his arms.
-
«I hope you don’t think I speak always to strangers, like that,» said the girl in the rose hat.
-
The young man smiled at the girl, as he crushed up the notes and stuffed them into his pocket.
-
Sometimes it was a young girl, again a widow; but as often as not it was some interesting married woman.
British Dictionary definitions for girl
noun
a female child from birth to young womanhood
a young unmarried woman; lass; maid
informal a sweetheart or girlfriend
informal a woman of any age
a female employee, esp a female servant
Southern African derogatory a Black female servant of any age
the girls (usually plural) informal a group of women, esp acquaintances
Word Origin for girl
C13: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Low German Göre boy, girl
usage for girl
The use of girl as in meaning 4, to refer to a woman of any age, is highly likely to be considered old-fashioned or to cause offence
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
В английском языке, как и любом другом, четко различается половая принадлежность людей и животных. Для этого существуют gender words / гендерные слова.
Masculine gender / Мужской пол
The naming words used for men, boys and male animals. / Слова, используемые для именования мужчин, мальчиков и животных мужского пола:
My father is tall, brutal and very masculine. | Мой отец — высокий, брутальный и очень мужественный.
My brother is a good sportsman. / Мой брат — хороший спортсмен.
I’ve never seen this boy before. | Я никогда не видел этого мальчика раньше.
His stallion is thoroughbred. / Его жеребец — чистокровный.
Feminine gender / Женский пол
The naming words used for women, girls and female animals. / Слова, которые используют для обозначения женщин, девочек и животных женского пола:
My mother is small, slim and very feminine. / Моя мама — маленькая, стройная и очень женственная.
My sister is a dancer. / Моя сестра — танцовщица.
This girl is very talented. / Эта девочка очень талантлива.
My mare is so stubborn. | Моя кобыла такая упрямая.
Possessive adjectives / Притяжательные местоимения
Притяжательные местоимения в английском меняются в зависимости от указания гендерной принадлежности.
| He / Он | His / Его |
| She / Она | Her (Hers) / Ее |
He took his hat and left the house. / Он взял свою шляпу и вышел из дома.
— It is your car? — No, it’s hers. / — Это твоя машина? — Нет, ее.
В случае, если мы не уверены в гендерной принадлежности владельца, употребляем нейтральное their / их.
The user has updated their journal. / Пользователь обновил свой журнал.
Обращение к людям также различается по гендерному признаку:
| Male / Мужчина | Female / Женщина |
| Sir / Сэр | Madam / Мадам |
| Mister / Мистер | Miss (Missis) / Мисс (Миссис) |
How are you, madam? / Как поживаете, мадам?
Relatives / Родственники
Мы четко разделяем названия членов семьи и близких людей по гендерному признаку.
| Masculine / Мужской | Feminine / Женский |
| Father / Папа | Mother / Мама |
| Grandfather (Grandpa) / Дедушка | Grandmother (Grandma) / Бабушка |
| Man / Мужчина | Woman / Женщина |
| Brother / Брат | Sister / Сестра |
| Groom / Жених | Bride / Невеста |
| Uncle / Дядька | Aunt / Тетка |
| Nephew / Племянник | Niece / Племянница |
To tell you the truth, my aunt is rather eccentric. / По правде говоря, моя тетушка довольно эксцентрична.
Gender words formation / Словообразование гендерных слов
Слова, указывающие на гендерную принадлежность, могут образовываться разными способами. Например, некоторые слова женского рода получаются путем присоединения приставок либо окончаний или соединения слов. Другие являются самостоятельными.
Образование женской формы слов при помощи приставок и окончаний и объединения слов:
| Hunter / Охотник | Huntress / Охотница |
| Shepherd / Пастух | Shepherdess / Пастушка |
| Priest / Жрец | Priestess / Жрица |
| Manservant / Слуга | Maidservant / Служанка |
| Songster / Певец | Songstress / Певица |
| Groomsman / Шафер | Bridesmaid / Подружка невесты |
| Landlord / Владелец | Landlady / Владелица |
My landlord requests the rent in advance. / Мой арендодатель требует арендную плату вперед.
Примеры самостоятельных слов, относящихся к женскому полу:
| King / Король | Queen / Королева |
| Wizard / Колдун | Witch / Колдунья |
| Monk / Монах | Nun / Монахиня |
They say this woman is a real witch. / Говорят, эта женщина — настоящая ведьма.
Animals / Животные
Слова, указывающие на гендерную принадлежность животных, также образуются при помощи приставок и окончаний, либо являются самостоятельными.
| Tiger / Тигр | Tigress / Тигрица |
| Lion / Лев | Lioness / Львица |
| Stallion / Жеребец | Mare / Кобыла |
| Rooster (Cock) / Петух | Hen / Курица |
| Bull / Бык | Cow / Корова |
| Dog / Кобель | Bitch / Сука |
| Drake / Селезень | Duck / Утка |
| Stag / Олень | Hind / Олениха |
| Peacock / Павлин | Peahen / Самка павлина |
| Ram / Баран | Ewe / Овца |
This bull is dangerous. / Этот бык опасен.
Gender neutrality in English / Гендерная нейтральность в английском языке
Современные реалии, разумеется, накладывают свой отпечаток на язык. Так, сторонники гендерного равенства требуют, чтобы к ним обращались, избегая указания на половую принадлежность. Именно поэтому в лондонском метро два года назад изменили традиционное обращение “Ladies and gentlemen” / “Леди и джентльмены” на нейтральное “Hello everyone” / “Приветствуем всех”, чтобы ненароком не задеть чувства различных меньшинств, трансгендеров и неопределившихся граждан.
Канадцы пошли еще дальше и изменили слова национального гимна, а именно строчку “True patriot love in all thy sons command” / “Патриотическая любовь движет твоими сынами”. Активисты страшно возмутились тем обстоятельством, что любовью к стране движимы только сыновья. Ныне эта строка звучит: “True patriot love in all of us command” / Всех нас движет патриотическая любовь”. Теперь вроде все довольны.
Порой вся эта деятельность приводит к курьезным результатам. Некоторые активистки на Западе всерьез требуют исключить из речи слово man / мужчина, обосновывая свою позицию тем, что часто оно используется в значении “человек”. А это оскорбительно, мол, не намек ли это на то, что женщина — как бы не совсем человек. Как быть с тем, что это слово, как ни удивительно, является частью слова woman / женщина, они еще не решили.
В России идут нешуточные бои за внедрение в речь словообразований вроде “авторка” или “терапевтка”, которые звучат как минимум странно. Законодатели правил в английском пошли противоположным путем: слова, обозначающие профессии, теперь должны носить нейтральный оттенок. Например, вместо stewardess / стюардесса теперь следует говорить flight attendant / бортпроводник. Вместо brakeman / оператор тормозных механизмов — brake operator.
На фоне этого немного странно звучит, что всех актеров, независимо от пола, теперь рекомендуется именовать actor, a никак не actress. Когда мы изучаем английский по фильмам, даже не задумываемся об этом. А зря. Должно быть, активисты сами немного запутались в вопросе. В какой номинации теперь будут награждать лучших актрис на церемонии вручения премии “Оскар”, непонятно. Впрочем, скоро эта номинация, возможно, станет неактуальной, ведь в сериале Billions / Миллиарды уже появился гендерно нейтральный персонаж, которого сыграл гендерно нейтральный актер. Или актриса. Впрочем, когда его (ее) номинировали на Emmy Award / Премию Эмми, сам исполнитель выбрал категорию “actor”. На этой оптимистической ноте, пожалуй, и закончим. Хорошо, когда все счастливы, ведь правда?
девушка, девочка, молодая женщина, невеста, служанка, возлюбленная, хористка
существительное ↓
- девочка
- дочка
the Smith girls — дочери Смита 
my little girl is ill — моя дочка заболела
- девушка; девица
a girl of 17 — семнадцатилетняя девушка
- разг. (молодая) женщина
a little English girl — молоденькая англичанка
- служанка, прислуга
a girl who looks after the children — работница /девушка/, которая присматривает за детьми
- продавщица
- невеста, возлюбленная; девушка
he is off to see his girl — он пошёл повидаться со своей милой
- разг. хористка, «гёрл» (из балетной группы в ревю)
old girl — а) пренебр., ласк. «старуха», «старушка»; старая; б) бывшая студентка, выпускница (какого-л. колледжа)
pin-up girl — хорошенькая /очаровательная/ девушка (о кинозвезде и т. п.)
Мои примеры
Словосочетания
a group of teenage girls — группа девушек-подростков
a genuine and artless girl — искренняя и простодушная девушка
a mere wisp of a girl — тростинка, а не девочка
cool girl — клёвая, классная девчонка
eleven-year-old girl — одиннадцатилетняя девочка
honest girl — порядочная девушка
lovely girl — красивая девушка
manicure girl — маникюрша
the girl’s a pip — девка что надо
to pursue a pretty girl — преследовать хорошенькую девушку
slim girl — стройная девушка
a beauty of a girl — красавица
Примеры с переводом
She is my best girl.
Она — моя возлюбленная.
We had a little girl.
У нас была дочка.
Girls! Please be quiet.
Девочки! Потише, пожалуйста.
That girl’s got class!
Классная девчонка!
She’s a really weird girl.
Она очень странная девушка.
Stop annoying the girl.
Хватит надоедать девушке.
She plays the coy girl.
Она прикидывается скромницей.
ещё 23 примера свернуть
Примеры, ожидающие перевода
Lindsey matched her steps to those of the other girl as they walked. 
Для того чтобы добавить вариант перевода, кликните по иконке ☰, напротив примера.
Возможные однокоренные слова
girlhood — девичество
girlish — девчачий, девический, изнеженный, похожий на девочку
Формы слова
noun
ед. ч.(singular): girl
мн. ч.(plural): girls