girl
41 synonyms and 2 antonyms for girl, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A female child.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use girl
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Calling an adult woman a "girl" can read as informal, affectionate, or (depending on context and tone) patronizing — read the room.
Etymology
From Middle English gerle/girle, once used for a child of either sex, of uncertain deeper origin.
Full origin of girl →Frequently asked questions
What does “girl” mean?
The word “girl” means a female child. In plain terms, a female child or young woman, or informally, one's girlfriend or daughter.
How do you pronounce “girl”?
“Girl” is pronounced GURL (/ˈɡɜɹl/ in IPA).
How do you use “girl” in a sentence?
Here is “girl” used in a sentence: “The girl skipped happily down the street.”
What is another word for “girl”?
Words with a similar meaning to “girl” include babe, bint, bird, cake, chick and colleen.
What is the opposite of “girl”?
The opposite of “girl” — its antonyms — are woman and boy.
What part of speech is “girl”?
“Girl” is a noun.
Where does the word “girl” come from?
The word “girl” comes from Middle English. From Middle English gerle/girle, once used for a child of either sex, of uncertain deeper origin.
Is “girl” a common word?
“Girl” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a girl and a woman?
The difference is age and maturity. A girl is a female child, roughly from birth through the teenage years. A woman is an adult female, generally from around eighteen onward. As a girl grows up, she becomes a woman. In casual speech "girl" is sometimes used for adult women, though many prefer "woman."
At what age does a girl become a woman?
There is no single fixed point, but the change is usually tied to reaching adulthood, commonly around eighteen, the typical age of legal majority. Puberty, which happens earlier, marks physical maturing but not adulthood itself. So the shift from girl to woman is gradual, and different cultures and contexts draw the line differently.