GAL

What Does GAL Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

GAL means "Girl" and "Get a Life."

Girl

The term gal is widely used as a slang term for "girl." It is believed to have originated in London, England, in the 18th century. Gal is similar in use and meaning to gyal. It is also the root of the term galdem, which means a gang or group of girls.

Get a Life

GAL is also an abbreviation of the phrase "Get A Life." In this context, GAL is used as an imperative to tell someone to stop being boring, mind their own business, or stop being annoying. For example:

You're such a Stan! GAL.
What they do with their own money has got nothing to do with you. GAL dude.
Are you going to keep bringing that up all night? GAL man!

Image for GAL

When I write GAL, I mean this:

GAL also means "Get A Life."

Summary of Key Points for First Definition

"Girl" is, by far, the most common meaning for GAL when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

GAL
Definition:	Girl
Type:	Word (Slang)
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for Second Definition

"Get a Life" is another common definition for GAL.

GAL
Definition:	Get a Life
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at GAL

When used with the meaning "girl," gal is a slang word. Slang refers to words, phrases and uses of language that are regarded as very informal and which are often restricted to a special context or a particular group of users. When used with the meaning "Get A Life," GAL is an initialism abbreviation. This means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., Gee Aye Ell). In this context, GAL is typically used as an imperative (i.e., an order). It can be followed by a period (full stop) or an exclamation mark, depending on the forcefulness of the command. However, for purposes of brevity in text-based messaging, punctuation such as exclamation marks, question marks, and even periods are often omitted.