girlfriend

noun

girl·​friend ˈgər(-ə)l-ˌfrend How to pronounce girlfriend (audio)
1
: a female friend
2
: a frequent or regular female companion in a romantic or sexual relationship

Examples of girlfriend in a Sentence

My girlfriend and I have only been dating for a couple of months. She spends hours talking on the phone with her girlfriends.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That same year, Pryor also had son Franklin Mason — who now goes by Mason Pryor — with girlfriend Geraldine Mason. Pryor — who was unafraid of confronting his personal struggles, including substance abuse, in his work — frequently left home to tour. Julie Tremaine, People.com, 13 July 2025 His real-life girlfriend Monica Barbaro has been cast as OpenAI’s CTO Mira Murati who was among the board members who fired Altman. Martine Paris, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025 The ex-reality star, who appeared on both Seasons 19 and 20 of the ABC dating show, and longtime girlfriend Hayley Kiyoko were engaged, the pair revealed this week. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 12 July 2025 Vic’s decision to murder his girlfriend for dog chow instead of stopping by a dystopian Petsmart is inarguably inhuman. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for girlfriend

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of girlfriend was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Girlfriend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girlfriend. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

girlfriend

noun
girl·​friend ˈgər(-ə)l-ˌfrend How to pronounce girlfriend (audio)
1
: a female friend
2
: a regular female companion in a romantic relationship

More from Merriam-Webster on girlfriend

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