Definition

Noun: A female child or young woman employed to work in a mill, typically a textile mill, during the historical period of industrialization.

Usage

The term "mill-girl" specifically refers to a young female worker in a mill. It is a historical term often associated with the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in the context of the Industrial Revolution and the textile industry.

Examples

• The mill-girls worked long hours in the factory.
• Life was difficult for a mill-girl in the 1800s.
• She started her career as a mill-girl at the age of fourteen.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical, sociological, or literary contexts to discuss labor conditions, gender roles, and industrialization.
• It can carry connotations of difficult working conditions, low wages, and the exploitation of young female labor.

Variants and Related Words

• Mill worker (n): A more general, gender-neutral term for anyone who works in a mill.
• Factory girl (n): A similar term for a young female factory worker, not limited to mills.

Synonyms

• Factory girl
• Textile worker (when context specifies female and historical setting)

Notes

"Mill-girl" is a compound noun. It is considered a single lexical unit referring to a specific historical role. The term is not commonly used in contemporary contexts, as such specific industrial roles have largely disappeared or evolved.

Noun

1. a girl who works in a mill