PERMANENT DISPUTE RECORD
ALL DISPUTES ↗One scholarly question. Every attached source. The present editorial state, without pretending the last word has been written.
No. Girle could denote a child or young person of either sex and could even be specified as a boy.
/ɡɜːrl/ · noun
A female child or young woman; in Middle English the word could denote a child or young person of either sex.
DIRECT CLAIM EVIDENCE
A citation is not a vote. Each record says whether the work supports, challenges, contradicts, or contextualizes the position—and identifies the exact locus used.
Directly documents the broad medieval sense.
Word History: young person of either sexAdds detailed Middle English evidence.
Senses: child of either sex; often a boyThe semantic edge records narrowing without claiming a single instant of change.