English

Noun

girl friend ‎(plural girl friends)

1. A female friend, especially a woman's.
   • 1971, Frank A. Petroni, ‎Ernest A. Hirsch, Two, four, six, eight, when you gonna integrate? (page 192)

     VELMA: My best girl friend is a Mexican girl. Every time I go up on the second floor where the Negroes hang out and I'm with this girl, they're always saying things like, "Hey girl, you're out of your place with her." Well, I don't listen to them at all.

   • 1980, Andre Dubus, Finding a Girl in America (page 157)

     He is not deeply worried about dope, because he trusts Sharon, knows she is sensible; that she tried cigarettes with her girl friends because at thirteen she wouldn't think of death […]

   • 2013, Beatrice Labissiere, The Evil Land: Nehemiah

     Then, the lady explained that her husband often talked to his girl friend about her.

2. Alternative form of girlfriend
   • 1958, DC Comics, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane
   • 2012, The Rosen Publishing Group, Guys: Being Best Friends

     You may talk about different things with your girl friend than you do with your guy friends.

Usage notes

• The spelling of girl friend as two words is used to distinguish this term from girlfriend, a girl or woman with whom one has a romantic relationship.