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Sheila
fem. proper name, Irish equivalent of Celia, shortened form of Cecilia, the fem. form of Cecil. A standard type of an Irish women's name since 1828, hence later slang sense of "girlfriend, young woman." An 1839 source has shalers as a "country phrase" for "girls," and this may represent the casual pronunciation of the name.
updated on August 21, 2022
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