Gyaldem
Refers to a group of girls or women collectively. Commonly used to describe a crew of women out together.
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How it's used
This is relationship vocabulary — how people in the GTA refer to friends, crews, and showing respect.
“Bare gyaldem pulled up to the party last night.”
Where it comes from
Origin: Jamaican Patois plural ("gyal" + "dem," meaning "them"), the female counterpart to "mandem". It's one of many Toronto terms that trace back to Jamaican Patois, brought into the city through Toronto's Caribbean communities. Read the fuller story in our history of Toronto slang.
Sources
Specific source for this entry: Jamaicans.com — "Jamaica's Influence on Toronto Slang and Youth Culture". General research sources for the whole dictionary are listed in SOURCES.md.
This word is a possible Torontle answer — the Wordle-style game built from this dictionary.
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