ENGLISH
REFERENCE

colleen

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˌkɑˈɫin// UK //kəlˈiːn// colleen

n. an informal or poetic way to say 'girl'. It is mostly used when talking about Ireland or Irish culture.

n. an informal or literary term for a girl or young woman, specifically of Irish origin.


SIMPLE

The old song tells the story of a young Irish colleen.

CONTEXTUAL

During the festival, several local performers dressed as traditional colleens to welcome the visitors.

COMPLEX

The poet often used the term colleen to evoke a sense of nostalgic Irish identity in his verses about the countryside.

Origin

From the word colleen, from Irish cailín (“girl”), not used as a name in Ireland. Colleen can also be interpreted as a variant of Coleen, which was a product of marketing by the Hollywood film industry (to promote a new starlet in the 1920s).

Usage

Primarily used in an Irish context or in literature; may be considered dated or stereotypical in modern conversation.

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