Gillflirt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic term for a flighty, coquettish young woman who behaves in a teasing or immodest manner
2. An old-fashioned name for a frivolous girl who flirts boldly and carelessly with men
3. A dated label for a playful, forward young woman, often used with disapproval of her conduct

Etymology: "Gillflirt" is an alternative spelling of "jillflirt", a compound of "Jill" and "flirt". The first part is the familiar female name, which in English has long served as a generic term for a girl or young woman, much as "Jack" once did for a man. The second part, "flirt", is a word for a light, teasing, or fickle person, so the whole term describes a girl who plays at romance with a light and changeable manner. The pairing follows an old English habit of coupling "Jill" with a second word to make a pair of names: "Jack" and "Jill" are the best-known example, and "Jill" in this compound was likely chosen for the same generic reason. The spelling "gill" appears as a variant, reflecting the way the name was pronounced and written in various forms over time.

Synonyms: flirt, coquette