garter

American  

[gahr-ter] / ˈgɑr tər /

noun

1. British, sock suspender, suspender.  an article of clothing for holding up a stocking or sock, usually an elastic band around the leg or an elastic strap hanging from a girdle or other undergarment.

2. a similar band worn to hold up a shirt sleeve.

3. a leather strap for passing through a loop at the back of a boot and buckling around the leg to keep the boot from slipping.

4. British.

   1. the badge of the Order of the Garter.

   2. membership in the Order.

   3. (initial capital letter) the Order itself.

   4. (usually initial capital letter) a member of the Order.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fasten with a garter.

garter ¹ British  

/ ˈɡɑːtə /

noun

1. a band, usually of elastic, worn round the arm or leg to hold up a shirtsleeve, sock, or stocking

2. 1. an elastic strap attached to a belt or corset having a fastener at the end, for holding up women's stockings

   2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): suspender.  a similar fastener attached to a garter belt worn by men in order to support socks

3. See gut

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verb

1. (tr) to fasten, support, or secure with or as if with a garter

Garter ² British  

/ ˈɡɑːtə /

noun

1. See Order of the Garter

2. (sometimes not capital)

   1. the badge of this Order

   2. membership of this Order

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Other Word Forms

• garterless adjective
• ungarter verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of garter

1300–50; Middle English < Old North French gartier, derivative of garet the bend of the knee < Celtic; compare Welsh gar shank, Breton gâr leg

Example Sentences

When mice invaded his house, he didn’t poison them but enlisted the help of a garter snake he found outside.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

The question for the giant garter snake’s future lies in whether it was saved in time.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025

Lacking Spotify, they decided to pass the time by undertaking “an enumeration and actual count” of road-killed animals—a battered weasel here, a flattened garter snake there.

From Slate • May 25, 2024

For the first time, researchers — employing an innovative twist on the mirror test — have found evidence that garter snakes can distinguish themselves from others, using not sight but scent.

From New York Times • Apr. 3, 2024

Glenn handed over a skinny little more-or-less green garter snake, ten or so inches long.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• badge
• ribbon