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old-girl network (ōldgûrl)

An informal, exclusive system of mutual assistance and friendship through which women belonging to a particular group, such as the alumnae of a school, exchange favors and connections, as in politics or business: "Companies rely on an old-girl network whereby representatives use friends as contacts" (New York Times).

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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