plural girls
1
a(1)
: a female child from birth to adulthood
a seven-year-old girl
(2)
: a person whose gender identity is female
… narrator Taylor Meskimen draws listeners into the emotional life of Zenobia July, a tech-savvy trans girl who's facing a new year at a new middle school.—
Rebecca Honeycutt
Rebecca Honeycutt
b
: daughter
Papa's answer was quiet. "I thought I taught you to read, my girl."—Markus Zusak
Markus Zusak
c
: a young woman
d
sometimes offensive
: a single or married woman of any age
2
: a female romantic partner : girlfriend
3
US, informal
a
: a female friend
I love going to a spa and dinner with my girls.—Karen Clifton
Karen Clifton
b
—used as a friendly way of addressing a woman or girl
Hey girl, I like your taste in Christmas gifts.—Miranda Crace
Miranda CraceGirl, you need to give yourself some credit.—John Van Meter
John Van Meter4
: a woman or girl native to a given place
a local girl
She was a city girl at heart.
5
: a female domesticated animal and especially a pet
She … is still mastering the art of being a good girl, as any 3-month-old puppy is.—Rotorua (New Zealand) Weekender
Rotorua (New Zealand) WeekenderKeeping low-key when leaving and returning is essential. Just a "Bye!" and "Be a good girl!" when you leave is plenty. Your dog will be busy with her goodies dispenser, anyway, and probably won't notice when you leave.—Ed Bailey
Ed BaileyEve is a 10-year-old female kitty who is an independent pretty girl …—Jackson (Michigan) Citizen Patriot: Web Edition Articles
Jackson (Michigan) Citizen Patriot: Web Edition Articles6
dated, offensive
: a female servant or enslaved woman
also
: a female employee
Examples of girl in a Sentence
Is this your little girl?
a group of teenage girls
His parents hope he'll soon find a nice girl, settle down, and get married.
Wait till the girls back home hear about this!
Our boss thinks of herself as just one of the girls.
She went out dancing with the girls.
They just hired a new girl to do the filing.
Recent Examples on the Web
With a Pop of Red A pop of red, the fashion girl’s perennial favorite, can brighten up any outfit, including a simple black trouser and button-down.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Rae's character went from tending to the Drummond family to being the housemother of the all-girls boarding school, Eastland School.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
Some of my first intimate experiences as a young teen were actually with girls.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
That look has become a byword for French girl style and continues to influence designers like Hedi Slimane, who showcased his spring 2023 collection for Celine in Saint-Tropez.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 28 Dec. 2025
Transgender participation in girl's sports.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
While The Handmaid’s Tale followed the women whose lives were upended by the enshrinement of totalitarian fascism, forcing them to become baby-making slaves, The Testaments is a coming-of-age story of girls whose only understanding of life is the grim reality of Gilead.
—Lucy Ford, Time, 27 Dec. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Christina Holevas, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Rae's character went from tending to the Drummond family to being the housemother of the all-girls boarding school, Eastland School.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
Some of my first intimate experiences as a young teen were actually with girls.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025
That look has become a byword for French girl style and continues to influence designers like Hedi Slimane, who showcased his spring 2023 collection for Celine in Saint-Tropez.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 28 Dec. 2025
Transgender participation in girl's sports.
—CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
While The Handmaid’s Tale followed the women whose lives were upended by the enshrinement of totalitarian fascism, forcing them to become baby-making slaves, The Testaments is a coming-of-age story of girls whose only understanding of life is the grim reality of Gilead.
—Lucy Ford, Time, 27 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Girl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girl. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
girl
noun1
a
: a female child
b
: a young woman
2
offensive
: a female servant
—used especially in the past
3
Etymology
Middle English gurle, girle "a young person of either sex"
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