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definitions

garter

[ gahr-ter ]
/ ˈgɑr tər /
|
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noun

Also called, 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.
a similar band worn to hold up a shirt sleeve.
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.
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.

verb (used with object)

to fasten with a garter.

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RELATED WORDS

badge, ribbon, braces, garters, colors, kudos, emblem, citation, cross, award, mention, accolade, star, distinction, medal, order

Nearby words

  1. garrulous,
  2. garrulously,
  3. garrya,
  4. garryowen,
  5. garré's disease,
  6. garter belt,
  7. garter snake,
  8. garter stitch,
  9. garth,
  10. garvey

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
Related formsgar·ter·less, adjectiveun·gar·ter, verb (used with object)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for garter

British Dictionary definitions for garter

garter

/ (ˈɡɑːtə) /

noun

a band, usually of elastic, worn round the arm or leg to hold up a shirtsleeve, sock, or stocking
US and Canadian
  1. an elastic strap attached to a belt or corset having a fastener at the end, for holding up women's stockings
  2. a similar fastener attached to a garter belt worn by men in order to support socksAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): suspender
have someone's guts for garters See gut (def. 10)

verb

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

Word Origin for garter

C14: from Old Northern French gartier, from garet bend of the knee, probably of Celtic origin

Garter

/ (ˈɡɑːtə) /

noun the Garter

See Order of the Garter
(sometimes not capital)
  1. the badge of this Order
  2. membership of this Order
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for garter

garter

n.

early 14c., from Old North French gartier "band just above or below the knee" (Old French jartier, 14c., Modern French jarretière), from garet "bend of the knee," perhaps from Gaulish (cf. Welsh garr "leg"). Garter as the highest order of knighthood (mid-14c.), according to Froissart was established c.1344 by Edward III, though the usual story of how it came about is late (1614) and perhaps apocryphal. The verb is mid-15c., from the noun. Garter snake (U.S.) so called from resemblance to a ribbon. Garter belt first noticed 1913.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper