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
Isla Silk made two clutch plays in the final 10 seconds, and for the first time in school history Rosemount is a state girls basketball champion by beating Hopkins 63-62 Saturday night at Williams Arena.
—Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
Young girls need adult women who show up consistently, listen without judgment, and model leadership in real time.
—Emily Green, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Jarocki had nothing but praise for the relentless Northfield girls who played in-your-face defense the entire game.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
This year, three separate girls (Darlene, Myki, and Jane) are consistently funny, and Nini and Discord are occasionally good too.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026
The richest man in the world is so cheap, his former bridge girl and toy, lives on a friend’s sofa.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The young girl was going to do it again.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Horse motifs abound throughout textiles and lamps in the little girl’s room, reflecting the fiery spirit of the lunar year to come.
—Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 14 Mar. 2026
Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik had a new baby girl and lived in a prosperous community.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Mike Cook, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
Young girls need adult women who show up consistently, listen without judgment, and model leadership in real time.
—Emily Green, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Jarocki had nothing but praise for the relentless Northfield girls who played in-your-face defense the entire game.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
This year, three separate girls (Darlene, Myki, and Jane) are consistently funny, and Nini and Discord are occasionally good too.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2026
The richest man in the world is so cheap, his former bridge girl and toy, lives on a friend’s sofa.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The young girl was going to do it again.
—Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
Horse motifs abound throughout textiles and lamps in the little girl’s room, reflecting the fiery spirit of the lunar year to come.
—Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 14 Mar. 2026
Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik had a new baby girl and lived in a prosperous community.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Girl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girl. Accessed 15 Mar. 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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