Human beings are divided into males and females based on their genetic traits and physical appearances. A male and a female differ in a lot of ways.
However, the females are also divided into girls and women based on their age and physical and mental stability.
Key Takeaways
- Girls are children who have not yet reached adulthood; women are adult females.
- Girls develop physically, emotionally, and socially; women have completed their physical and social maturation.
- Girls may still depend on parents or guardians for support and decision-making; women are independent and self-sufficient.
Girls vs Women
The difference between girls and women is their physical and mental maturity. Generally, a girl and a woman are distinguished based on age, but these terms depend more on their physical maturity. A girl cannot make her own life decisions, whereas a woman can do that.
A girl is a young female child or a female adolescent. This is the duration of a female’s life from childhood to adulthood.
A girl goes through many physical and mental changes during this time. At the same time, a woman can be defined as an adult female.
It is the time of a female’s life after completing her childhood and adolescence. A woman is much more capable and responsible than her younger self.
A girl still depends on her parents for her basic needs, whereas a woman can provide these basic needs herself. It also depends on their physical growth.
A girl’s body is not entirely developed. In contrast, a woman’s body is completely developed.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Girls | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A young female child or a female adolescent. | An adult female. |
| Time period | The period from a female’s birth to her adolescence. | The period of a female’s adulthood. |
| Meaning | Derived from the word “gerle” meaning a dress. | Derived from the word “wifan,” where “wif” means wife and “man” means human being. |
| Mental maturity | Girls are not mentally mature enough to take responsibility/ | Women have enough mental maturity to take up responsibilities. |
| Physical maturity | A girl’s body is not completely developed. | A woman’s body is completely developed. |
What Is a Girl?
A girl can be described as a young child or adolescent. It is the term given to a female during a particular period, from birth till adulthood.
The word ” girl ” has come from an Anglo- Saxon word “gerle,” meaning dress or a clothing item. Until the late 1400s, this word was used for a chile of either sex.
A girl’s body is not completely developed until the very end of their puberty. However, a girl is still able to produce offspring at this age.
Along with physical maturity, a girl does not even have enough mental maturity. She still depends on her parents for basic needs like food, clothes, education, etc.
She is still a girl and cannot earn a living and meet basic needs. She cannot make decisions for herself and take on significant responsibilities.
At this age, a girl spends most of her time completing her education and making her career for a better life. In some places, a girl is also identified as an unmarried female.
However, a girl can be in adulthood and still not marry.
What Is a Woman?
A woman is a female adult. A girl who has reached adulthood is referred to as a woman.
The word woman is derived from an old English word, “wifman,” where the word “wif” means wife and the word “man” mean human being. Womanhood is the time of a female’s life when she has passed her childhood and puberty.
A woman is considered mentally and physically capable of being independent and taking up significant responsibilities. A woman is mentally mature to make the big decisions of her life.
She no longer depends on her parents for some of her basic needs. She can provide those needs for herself and her family.
A woman has a fully developed body; she can produce offspring and is completely capable of taking responsibility. Generally, at this age, a female has completed her education and started earning.
Sometimes, a woman is described as a female or a girl married in certain places. However, a woman can still be unmarried at that age.
Main Differences Between Girls and Women
- A girl is a young child or adolescent, whereas a woman is an adult female.
- The word “girl” is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word “gerle,” meaning a dress or a clothing item, while the name “woman” is derived from an old English word “wifman,” where “wif” means wife and “man” means human being.
- A girl does not have enough mental maturity to take significant responsibilities and decisions in her life. However, a woman is mentally mature to do all this.
- A girl’s body is not entirely developed. She does not have physical maturity, whereas a woman’s body is completely developed.
- From her childhood to adulthood, the time of a female’s life is when she is referred to as a “girl,” while the word “woman” is given to the time after that.
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=h8XRyWmwVtoC&oi=fnd&pg=PR10&dq=Girls+and+Women&ots=eK73jZtyr_&sig=-QD_6ovFBHqyh9Kx5Gh505TZN4I
- https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2357/e2d8395b3682b997c48180441cc161c9a5a8.pdf
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The comparison table provided makes it easy to understand the differences between girls and women. A great resource for educators to use in the classroom.
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