Standard Lemma guide

girly

adj · adv · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈɡɝli/
  • Australian, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɡɜːli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • New-Zealand, Wales: /ˈɡøːli/
  • Scotland: /ˈɡɪɾle/
  • /ɡeːli/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
  • /ɡɛːli/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)li

1

adj

Meaning 1

Characteristic of a stereotypical girl, very effeminate, gentle; unmasculine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of, or pertaining to, a young, attractive woman; especially one who is scantily clad.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

Examples

  • a girly calendar

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Weak; wussy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

In the manner of a girl.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: girlily, girlishly

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A girl.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: childish, colloquial

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *gaurā Proto-West Germanic *-ilā Proto-West Germanic *gurilā Old English *gyrele? Middle English girle English girl Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English girly From girl + -y (adjectival sufix).

From girl + -ly (adverbial suffix), after the adjective.

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *gaurā Proto-West Germanic *-ilā Proto-West Germanic *gurilā Old English *gyrele? Middle English girle English girl Proto-Germanic *-j-, *-ij- Proto-West Germanic *-i, *-ī Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English girly From girl + -y (diminutive suffix).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: ina — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Finnish: tyttömäinen — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • French: féminin — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Greek: κοριτσίστικος (koritsístikos) — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Japanese: 女の子っぽい (onnanokoppoi) — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Latvian: meitenīgs — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Polish: babski — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Russian: девча́чий (devčáčij) — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Slovak: dievčenský — characteristic of a stereotypical girl
  • Swedish: tjejig — characteristic of a stereotypical girl