Etymology of "broad" = [approx.] "gal"

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Thu, Jun 26, 2008 at 12:27 PM, Marc Velasco <marcjvelasco at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Apparently, someone has a cite from 1911.
>
> (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=3D20070122004119AAuYj2T)
>
> > The general sense of broad meaning a woman, as opposed to the specific one
> > of prostitute, is cited from 1911, from the September issue of Hampton's
> > Magazine:
> >
> > Pretty soon what is technically known as a "broad" -- broad" being the latest
> > New Yorkese -- hove into sight.

In: "A Night at the Folies Bergere" by Harris Merton Lyon
Hampton's Magazine (Vol. XXVII, No. 2, Aug 1911), p. 172

Google Book Search has a very nice scan:
http://books.google.com/books?id=wvhMAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA172


--Ben Zimmer

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