item girl n. in Indian cinema, a woman who appears in an item song; (hence) a female actress, singer, or dancer, esp. one who is poised to become a star. Editorial Note: An item song or item number is a musical performance that has little do with the film in which it appears, but is presented mainly to showcase beautiful dancing women, to promote a song, or to lend marketability to a film. Item numbers often have a life on stage long after a movie has left theaters. There appears to be some confluence with the term “it” girl, to signify someone who is much talked about or sought after. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Mary Beth in Greenville, South Carolina, wonders: Why do we say four-oh-nine for the number 409 instead of four-zero-nine or four-aught-nine? What are the rules for saying either zero or oh or aught or ought to indicate that arithmetical symbol...
Jim in Columbia, South Carolina, has noticed sportscasters’ use of the phrase on the season with reference to a period of time. This construction shows up in the sports pages as early as the 1880s, first referring to a team’s revenue and...