Etymology Online dates the term “boyfriend,” meaning “womans paramour,” to 1909. However, the term has an earlier platonic sense. Girlfriend seems to have had a similar trajectory, beginning as a term for a young female friend, only taking on romantic connotations after the conversion of boyfriend.

What is the mean of boyfriend and girlfriend?

Generally, the use of boyfriend or girlfriend by anyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, is usually used to mean someone that person has a serious relationship with: they are a couple. Exception: women sometimes use girlfriend to mean just a normal friend.