Boy vs. Girl — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Boy and Girl
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Compare with Definitions
Boy
A boy is a young male human. The term is usually used for a child or an adolescent.
Girl
A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a woman.
Boy
A male child.
Girl
A female child.
Boy
A son
His youngest boy.
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Girl
A daughter
Our youngest girl.
Boy
Often Offensive A man, especially a young man.
Girl
Often Offensive A woman.
Boy
(Informal) A man socializing in a group of men
A night out with the boys.
Girl
A woman socializing with a group of women
A night out with the girls.
Boy
(Offensive) A male servant or employee.
Girl
Used as a familiar form of address to express support of or camaraderie with a woman.
Boy
Used to express mild astonishment, elation, or disgust
Oh boy—what a surprise!.
Girl
(Informal) A female sweetheart
Cadets escorting their girls to the ball.
Boy
A young male.
Kate is dating a boy named Jim.
Girl
(Offensive) A female servant or employee.
Boy
(particularly) A male child or adolescent, as distinguished from infants or adults.
Girl
A female child, adolescent, or a young woman.
Boy
(diminutive) A son of any age.
Girl
A young female animal.
Boy
A male of any age, particularly one rather younger than the speaker.
Girl
A woman, especially a young and often attractive woman.
Boy
(obsolete) A male of low station, (especially as pejorative) a worthless male, a wretch; a mean and dishonest male, a knave.
Girl
A female servant; a maid. see usage notes
Boy
A male servant, slave, assistant, or employee, particularly:
Girl
A queen (the playing card).
Boy
A younger such worker.
Girl
(colloquial) A term of endearment. see usage notes
Boy
A non-white male servant regardless of age, particularly as a form of address.
Girl
One's girlfriend.
Boy
(obsolete) A male camp follower.
Girl
One's daughter.
Your girl turned up on our doorstep.
Boy
Any non-white male, regardless of age.
Girl
A roebuck two years old.
Boy
A male animal, especially, in affectionate address, a male dog.
C'mere, boy! Good boy! Who's a good boy?
Are you getting a boy cat or a girl cat?
Girl
Cocaine, especially in powder form.
Boy
A former low rank of various armed services; a holder of this rank.
Girl
A female (tree, gene, etc).
Boy
Heroin.
Girl
(derogatory) A boy or man who is weak or sentimental.
Don't be such a girl!
Boy
A male (tree, gene, etc).
Girl
(transitive) To feminize or girlify; to gender as a girl or as for girls.
Boy
Exclamation of surprise, pleasure or longing.
Boy, that was close!
Boy, that tastes good!
Boy, I wish I could go to Canada!
Girl
To staff with or as a girl or girls.
Boy
(transitive) To act as a boy in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage.
Girl
A young person of either sex; a child.
Boy
A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad; hence, a son.
My only boy fell by the side of great Dundee.
Girl
A female child, from birth to the age of puberty; a young maiden.
Boy
In various countries, a male servant, laborer, or slave of a native or inferior race; also, any man of such a race; - considered derogatory by those so called, and now seldom used.
He reverted again and again to the labor difficulty, and spoke of importing boys from Capetown.
Girl
A female servant; a maidservant.
Boy
To act as a boy; - in allusion to the former practice of boys acting women's parts on the stage.
I shall seeSome squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness.
Girl
A roebuck two years old.
Boy
A youthful male person;
The baby was a boy
She made the boy brush his teeth every night
Most soldiers are only boys in uniform
Girl
A young woman;
A young lady of 18
Boy
A friendly informal reference to a grown man;
He likes to play golf with the boys
Girl
A youthful female person;
The baby was a girl
The girls were just learning to ride a tricycle
Boy
A male human offspring;
Their son became a famous judge
His boy is taller than he is
Girl
A female human offspring;
Her daughter cared for her in her old age
Boy
(ethnic slur) offensive term for Black man;
Get out of my way, boy
Girl
A girl or young woman with whom a man is romantically involved;
His girlfriend kicked him out
Girl
A friendly informal reference to a grown woman;
Mrs. Smith was just one of the girls
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