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Definition of girlfriend

girlfriend

/ˈɡɝːlˌfrɛnd/
girl · friend
Plural:girlfriends
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girlfriend Lexical Profile

girlfriend Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A regular female companion with whom a person has a romantic or sexual relationship.

Example

"He invited his girlfriend to join the family for their annual summer vacation."

2

A woman's close platonic female friend.

Example

"She spent the weekend catching up with her college girlfriends at a lakeside cabin."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for girlfriend
Antonyms
View all antonyms for girlfriend

Word Nuance & Usage

While most commonly referring to a female romantic partner, "girlfriend" is also frequently used by women to refer to a close, platonic female friend; context usually clarifies which meaning is intended.

• Nearby Words

girder
girdle
girl
girlfriend
girlhood
girlie
girlish

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed as a compound of "girl" and "friend" in the mid-19th century, initially denoting a female platonic companion before acquiring its primary romantic sense in the 1920s.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Girlfriend. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/girlfriend
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