Gillian
Gillian (noun) means (dated, informal) A girl or young woman, especially one seen as flirtatious or promiscuous. Example: “Old slang used "gillian" the way later generations might use "wild girl.”
How to use Gillian
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned slang word for a girl or, in an even older sense, a prostitute — rarely used today outside historical or dialect contexts.
Archaic and dialectal; you will not hear this used in modern speech.
Word forms
- Plural
- gillians
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Old slang used "_____" the way later generations might use "wild girl."
Etymology
Derived from the given name Gillian, a medieval variant of Julian/Juliana that became a generic term for a woman in old slang, much like "Jack" became generic for a man.
