What does "lass" mean?
A girl; also (by extension), a young woman.
Lass
/læs/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A girl; also (by extension), a young woman.
- Grammar: lass is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: lassie, babe, baby, best girl.
- Useful contrasts: lad, laddie, lads.
- Usage evidence: The lass is at the window, because the sun is very hot today.
How to use "lass"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lass" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lass" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lass" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lass" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lass" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "lassie" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lass", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A girl; also (by extension), a young woman.
"Come and dance, ye lads and lasses!"
- 2 a girl or young woman who is unmarried wordnet
- 3 A girl; also (by extension), a young woman.; A female member of the Salvation Army; a hallelujah lass. specifically
"Jenny Hill, a pale, overwrought, pretty Salvation lass of 18, comes in through the yard gate, leading Peter Shirley, a half hardened, half worn-out elderly man, weak with hunger."
- 4 A sweetheart. Geordie, Wearside, especially
"But firſt him ſeemed fit, that vvounded Knight / To viſite, after this nights perillous paſſe, / And to ſalute him, if he vvere in plight, / And eke [also] that Lady his faire louely laſſe."
- 5 A female servant; a maid, a maidservant. Northern-England, Scotland
"[…] I'll tell ye that after we are done wi' our supper, for it will may be no be sae weel to speak about it while that lang-lugged limmer o' a lass is gaun flisking in and out o' the room."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A term of address for a woman, or a female animal. Scotland, familiar
"As fair art thou, my bonie laſs, / So deep in luve am I; / And I will luve thee ſtill, my Dear, / Till a' the ſeas gang dry."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The lass is at the window, because the sun is very hot today."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lass"?
Common synonyms include: lassie, babe, baby, best girl, biddy, bird instance.
How do you use "lass" in a sentence?
The lass is at the window, because the sun is very hot today.
How do you pronounce "lass"?
Pronounced /læs/.
Etymology
From Middle English las, lasce, lasse (“female infant or child; young woman”), traditionally derived from Old Norse lǫskr (“unmarried”, adjective); see Middle English las for more. Cognates Scots lass, lassie