Dictionary of English - girl

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Girl, as an informal word for woman (the female equivalent of 'chap', 'bloke', 'guy,' etc) should be used with great care. Many adult women object strongly to being called girls by men. A man who refers to his female secretary as my girl will almost certainly cause offence, as will a sports commentator who says (however truthfully), In cricket the girls' team generally does better than the men's.

A woman may refer to another woman as a girl, particularly if they have known each other since they were girls or if the other woman is younger. A woman may also call the female members of a group that she belongs to the girls. A man might get away with this if it is clear that no offence is intended, but it is safer for him to refer to them as the ladies. See also lady.

Blue symbolizes hope, the clear sky, and the streams of the south. Yellow stands for the sun and the Sahara Desert. Red represents unity, prosperity, and national sacrifice. Effective date: 6 November 1959. >>