Girl

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Girl

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

gurl  /ɡɜːl/

Definition

A female child; a young woman; (informal, sometimes offensive) a woman of any age.

Plain meaning

A girl is a female child or young woman. Used informally, girl can refer to a woman of any age — though this usage can be considered condescending in professional contexts.

Register

Neutral for female children. Variable for adult women — warm and affectionate in self-referential or peer use; potentially condescending when used by men about women in professional contexts. A word whose register shifts dramatically depending on who is using it and in what context.