gillian

G2I1L1L1I1A1N1
/ˈd͡ʒɪ.li.ən/US/ˈd͡ʒɪliən/US/ˈd͡ʒɪljən/US/ˈɡɪl-/

noun

A girl, especially a wanton.

Less commonScrabble 8

Meanings

gillian1

noungillian (plural gillians)

plural gillians

  1. obsoleteA girl, especially a wanton.

    Do you snarl, you black Gill?

    c. 1616–1619, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, The Knight of Malta, act 5, scene 2

    Synonyms: girl, promiscuous woman

  2. obsoleteA prostitute.

    Synonyms: prostitute

Gillian2

proper noun

alternative Jillian

  1. A female given name from Latin; Medieval variant of Julian and Juliana, revived and quite popular in Britain in the mid-twentieth century.

    Dromio of Ephesus. Maud, Bridget, Marian, Cicely, Gillian, Ginn! Dromio of Syracuse. Mome, malt-horse, capon, coxcomb, idiot, patch! - - - Dost thou conjure for wenches, that thou call'st for such a store

    c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]
    1 more example

    "Just Jill, I'm afraid." "Would you prefer if it was Gillian?" "Oh, I think so. Gillian sounds so much fancier." "Fancy?" Terrence said. He smiled at her. "Or perhaps it sounds flashy?" "Royal," Richard said. "Flowery," Terrence added. "You could say Gillian was more flowery. That would fit. What about you, Corrie, what does it sound like to you?" "Rich," Corrie glanced at Jill. "Gillian sounds richer than Jill."

    1994, Floyd Skloot, Summer Blue, Story Line press, →ISBN, page 98

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA girl, especially a wanton.

nounA prostitute.

Similar
Also see

Origin

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with gillian

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

gillian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gillian

MLA

“gillian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gillian. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gillian,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gillian.

Source: gillian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.