career girl: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
mediumsomewhat dated; journalistic/informal; can be considered patronizing.
Quick answer
What does “career girl” mean?
A woman whose primary focus is her professional advancement, often (historically) implying she is unmarried and childless.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A woman whose primary focus is her professional advancement, often (historically) implying she is unmarried and childless.
While the term can simply describe a woman dedicated to her profession, it often carries historical and sociocultural baggage, suggesting a life choice prioritizing career over traditional domestic roles.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is similar, though the term faded from common use slightly earlier in American English due to stronger feminist linguistic critiques.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can sound quaint or subtly demeaning. In UK English, it might still appear in certain tabloid or older-fashioned contexts.
Frequency
Low and decreasing in both. More likely found in historical contexts or ironic/self-aware usage.
Grammar
How to Use “career girl” in a Sentence
She was labelled a career girl.The stereotype of the 1950s career girl.A novel about a career girl in London.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “career girl” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The article discussed the career-girl phenomenon of the 1960s.
American English
- She rejected the career-girl lifestyle portrayed in old films.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare and outdated; replaced by gender-neutral titles.
Academic
Used in historical, sociological, or cultural studies when analyzing mid-20th century gender roles.
Everyday
Potentially offensive; best avoided in favour of more respectful terms.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “career girl”
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “career girl”
- Using it as a modern, complimentary term. Using it to describe any woman with a job rather than one strongly identified with her career advancement.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be. It is widely considered outdated and patronizing, as it defines an adult woman as a 'girl' and singles out her career focus as a notable characteristic. Safer alternatives are 'professional woman' or her specific job title.
'Career woman' is the more standard, modern, and respectful term. 'Career girl' has connotations of youth, singleness, and is rooted in a specific historical period, making it sound less serious and more dated.
Only in very specific contexts, such as discussing historical gender roles, in direct quotation, or occasionally in a self-aware, ironic, or nostalgic way. In general contemporary usage, it should be avoided.
The best substitute is to use the woman's professional title (e.g., 'lawyer', 'engineer', 'manager'). Alternatively, 'professional woman', 'working professional', or simply 'she is focused on her career' are neutral options.
A woman whose primary focus is her professional advancement, often (historically) implying she is unmarried and childless.
Career girl is usually somewhat dated; journalistic/informal; can be considered patronizing. in register.
Career girl: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈrɪə ɡɜːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈrɪr ɡɜːrl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No specific idiom, but related to 'climb the corporate ladder', 'make a name for herself'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a black-and-white movie where a woman in a suit carries a briefcase – that's the classic, now-dated image of a 'career girl'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAREER IS A PATH/JOURNEY (for a specific 'type' of person: a girl).
Practice
Quiz
Why is the term 'career girl' problematic in modern usage?