girl | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

187 entries found.

1809, "kind of dance performed by women in India," from Hindi nach "dance," which is probably from Sanskrit nritya "dancing, play-acting." Related: Nautch-girl.

gasket (n.)

1620s, caskette, originally nautical, "small rope or plaited coil" used to secure a furled sail, of uncertain origin, perhaps from French garcette "a gasket," literally "little girl, maidservant," diminutive of Old French garce "young woman, young girl; whore, harlot, concubine" (13c.), fem. of garçon (see garcon). Century Dictionary notes Spanish garcette "a gasket," also "hair which falls in locks." Machinery sense of "packing (originally of braided hemp) to seal metal joints and pistons" first recorded 1829.

twisty (adj.)

1857, "full of windings," from twist (n.) + -y (2). Meaning "attractively feminine," 1970s slang, is from twist "girl" (1928), apparently from rhyming slang twist and twirl (1924).

maiden (n.)

Old English mægden, mæden "unmarried woman (usually young); virgin; girl; maidservant," diminutive of mægð, mægeð "virgin, girl; woman, wife," from Proto-Germanic *magadin- "young womanhood, sexually inexperienced female" (source also of Old Saxon magath, Old Frisian maged, Old High German magad "virgin, maid," German Magd "maid, maidservant," German Mädchen "girl, maid," from Mägdchen "little maid"), fem. variant of PIE root *maghu- "youngster of either sex, unmarried person" (source also of Old English magu "child, son, male descendant," Avestan magava- "unmarried," Old Irish maug "slave").

Also in Middle English "a man lacking or abstaining from sexual experience" (c. 1200). As the name of a guillotine-like instrument of execution by beheading, from 1580s.

terpsichorean (adj.)

"pertaining to dancing," 1869, literally "of Terpsichore," from Latinized form of Greek Terpsikhore, muse of dancing and dramatic chorus (see Terpsichore). Hence theatrical slang terp "stage dancer, chorus girl" (1937).

chaperon (v.)

"act as a chaperon, attend (an unmarried girl or woman) in public," 1792, also chaperone, from chaperon (n.), or from French chaperonner, from the noun in French. Related: Chaperoned; chaperoning.

mort (n.1)

"girl, woman" (chaste or not, but especially one of roaming tendencies or loose morals), 1560s, canting jargon, and like most of it of unknown origin and no etymology.

scorcher (n.)

"very hot day," 1874, agent noun from scorch (v.). It also means or has meant "stinging attack" (1842), "pretty girl" (1881), "line drive in baseball" (1900).

patootie (n.)

"sweetheart, pretty girl," colloquial American English, 1921, perhaps a corruption of potato (c.f. sweet potato). Sweet patootie is recorded from 1919 as a generic exclamation.

rig (n.2)

"a wanton girl or woman," 1570s, slang, now obsolete, of obscure origin. Also as a verb, "to play the wanton, romp about." Related: Rigged; rigging.

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