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
Afterward, Fanning continued to play girls forced to inhabit a maturity beyond their years, including in two films by Sofia Coppola, the auteur of precisely that theme.
—Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Zoschak said the stereotypical TCC member was a younger teenage girl, just like Audree, though there were many other people and the gender balance seems to be roughly 50-50.
—Meena Duerson, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
The eight-member girl group, comprising members Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna and Sheena, made their Coachella debut on the Mojave stage.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Day 2 of the UIL state soccer championships kick off on Friday with the Class 5A Division I and Division II boys and girls title games from Birkelbach Field on the campus of Georgetown High School.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2026
There should be lots of outstanding performances in the boys’ and girls’ 100 meters.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Pierce Kelly, a NIPSCO employee, said his wife has been a stay-at-home mom for 13 years raising their five children, four boys and one girl, the youngest.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
Despite medical intervention, Di Vico did not survive A teenage girl died allegedly due to an allergic reaction to dairy during a trip with her basketball team.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
This month’s best movies on Netflix include awards contenders of yesteryear, like Anatomy of a Fall and Atonement; a childhood favorite about a girl who loves to read; at least one Nazi-killing romp; and the movie that made Steven Spielberg’s career.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026
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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Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
Zoschak said the stereotypical TCC member was a younger teenage girl, just like Audree, though there were many other people and the gender balance seems to be roughly 50-50.
—Meena Duerson, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
The eight-member girl group, comprising members Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna and Sheena, made their Coachella debut on the Mojave stage.
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026
Day 2 of the UIL state soccer championships kick off on Friday with the Class 5A Division I and Division II boys and girls title games from Birkelbach Field on the campus of Georgetown High School.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2026
There should be lots of outstanding performances in the boys’ and girls’ 100 meters.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Pierce Kelly, a NIPSCO employee, said his wife has been a stay-at-home mom for 13 years raising their five children, four boys and one girl, the youngest.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
Despite medical intervention, Di Vico did not survive A teenage girl died allegedly due to an allergic reaction to dairy during a trip with her basketball team.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
This month’s best movies on Netflix include awards contenders of yesteryear, like Anatomy of a Fall and Atonement; a childhood favorite about a girl who loves to read; at least one Nazi-killing romp; and the movie that made Steven Spielberg’s career.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Girl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girl. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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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