Jillflirt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A young woman who is frivolous, coquettish and fond of teasing men in a light, fickle way
2. An unserious, flirtatious girl who changes her affections easily and enjoys attracting admirers
3. A giddy, capricious young female who flirts carelessly and cannot be relied upon in matters of the heart

Etymology: "Jill" here is the old familiar name for a woman or girl, the feminine counterpart to "Jack," and it has been paired with other words for centuries to suggest a female equivalent of a male figure. "Jillflirt" pairs it with "flirt," a word that began as something quick and fleeting before it came to describe light-hearted courtship. A jillflirt, then, is a girl who flutters from one admirer to the next, all teasing and no commitment. The compound follows the same pattern as "jack-a-dandy" or "Jack-in-the-box," where "Jack" stands for a fellow of a certain sort, and the female version swaps in "Jill." Its formation is transparent, so the interest lies mainly in the personal name at its heart: "Jill" was for a long time a common nickname for a woman, much as "Jack" was for a man.