'girlfriend' originates from English, combining 'girl' (a young female) and 'friend' (a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection).

'Girlfriend' was first used in the late 19th century to refer to a female friend, but by the 20th century, it came to mean a female romantic partner.

Initially, it meant 'a female friend,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a female romantic partner.'