different between girlfriend vs wifelet

English

Alternative forms

• girl friend, girl-friend

Etymology

girl +? friend

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /???lf??nd/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /????lf??nd/
• Hyphenation: girl?friend

Noun

girlfriend (plural girlfriends)

1. A female partner in an unmarried romantic relationship.

   Coordinate terms: boyfriend, fiancée, lover, partner, significant other, sweetheart, wife, lady friend
2. A female friend.

   Synonym: (slang) chickfriend

   Coordinate terms: buddy, friend, pal, BFF

Usage notes

• The term is used to refer to any girl or woman in a romantic relationship with another person.
• An adult woman in such a non-marital relationship is sometimes referred to instead as a significant other or partner, especially if the two partners are living together. Because girlfriend and partner mean different things to different people, the distinctions between the terms are subjective, and which term is used in a relationship will ultimately be determined by personal preference.
• The use of girlfriend for a female non-romantic friend of another female is limited in geographic distribution and sometimes preferred by older generations of speakers.
• Sometimes used as a term of address among men, particularly gay men.

Derived terms

Descendants

• ? Hindi: ??????????? (garlfre??)
• ? Japanese: ??????? (g?rufurendo)
• ? Korean: ???? (geolpeurendeu)
• ? Russian: ????????? (gjorlfr??nd)
• ? Urdu: ??? ?????? (garl fren?)

Translations

Anagrams

• friend girl, friendgirl

English

Etymology

From wife +? -let (diminutive suffix). Sense 3 (“long-term girlfriend; mistress”) is said to have been coined in the 1960s by Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath (1932–2020) in reference to his numerous mistresses.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /?wa?fl?t/, /-l?t/
• Hyphenation: wife?let

Noun

wifelet (plural wifelets)

1. (colloquial, endearing) A wife.

   Synonyms: wifekin, wifeling, (obsolete) wifelkin, wifie
2. (informal, by extension) A wife who is of small stature.
3. (informal, by extension) A long-term girlfriend; a mistress (the “other woman” in an extramarital relationship). [from 1960s]

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:mistress

Translations

References