girth
Americannoun
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the measure around anything; circumference.
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a band that passes underneath a horse or other animal to hold a saddle in place, especially one having a buckle at each end for fastening to straps running from under the flaps of the saddle.
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something that encircles; a band or girdle.
verb (used with object)
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to bind or fasten with a girth.
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to girdle; encircle.
noun
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the distance around something; circumference
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size or bulk
a man of great girth
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a band around a horse's belly to keep the saddle in position
verb
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(usually foll by up) to fasten a girth on (a horse)
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(tr) to encircle or surround
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of girth
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English girth, gerth, from Old Norse gerth “girdle”; akin to gird 1
Explanation
The girth of something is the distance around its middle, and it usually refers to a person’s waist. If you get pregnant with twins, your girth will probably block your view of your toes. One can measure the girth of an airplane, tree trunk, or anything cylindrical, but it most often describes a large human waist. We don't usually describe a rail-thin person as having 'minuscule girth," — but when Aunt Velma has her seventh helping of lasagna and has to unbuckle her belt, she might announce, "My girth has outsized my attire!" Girth can also mean a strap that encircles the belly of a horse, mule, or other animal to secure a load.
Vocabulary lists containing girth
Chains
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"Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not every Girth and Mirther, of course, emerged from such dire straits; some merely wanted to socialize without fretting about their bodies.
From Slate • Aug. 8, 2014
Whitesel’s book focuses primarily on Girth and Mirth, a nationwide social club of fat men who hang out with each other to dodge the stressful expectations of the larger gay community.
From Slate • Aug. 8, 2014
"Draws could be decided by the team with fewest snoods on display, or the team in possession of the fewest Twitter accounts" - Girth Jenkyns.
From The Guardian • Jan. 10, 2011
A formally trained photojournalist, Big Girth is also a former male model.
From Time Magazine Archive
It was all poor Girth could do to scramble out of the water and back to Longshanks’ shoulder.
From Czechoslovak Fairy Tales by Fillmore, Parker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
