From birth to childhood, adolescence to adulthood, girls are women. The term "girl" can also be used to refer to a young woman and is often used as a synonym for a daughter.

The term girl is sometimes used to refer to an adult woman, usually a young woman. In professional or other formal contexts, this use may be seen as derogatory or offensive, just as the term "boy" can be seen as derogatory when applied to adult men. Therefore, this usage is usually derogatory. It can also be used in a derogatory sense when used to discriminate against children ("you are just a girl").