cinch

cinch · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromcingulum
2. Late Latin · derived fromcingula
3. Spanish · borrowed fromcincha“a belt or girth”
4. Latin · derived fromcincta
5. Occitan · borrowed fromcencha
6. English todaycinch

Borrowed from Occitan cencha, from Latin cincta, or from Spanish cincha (“a belt or girth”), from Late Latin cingula, from Latin cingulum. Doublet of cingle.

cinch · noun, verb²

1. Spanish · derived fromcinco“five”
2. English todaycinch

Compare senses at etymology 1 (a girth, a tight grip), perhaps suggesting the tactics used in the game; or perhaps from Spanish cinco (“five”), the five spots of the colour of the trump being important cards.

cinch · noun³

Uncertain; perhaps from Cinch Connectors, a Chicago-based company producing connectors.

Words from the same roots