Meanings
plural girths
- countableuncountableA band passed under the belly of an animal, which holds a saddle or a harness saddle in place.
He was standing on the offside of his horse, holding up the flap of his saddle, with the surcingle loosened, and was pointing to the girths. Close to their attachment to the saddle they had been almost cut through with a knife.
1929, Baldwyn Dyke Acland, chapter 8, in Filibuster - countableuncountableThe part of an animal around which the girth fits.
- countableinformaluncountableOne's waistline circumference, most often a large one.
He's a lusty, jolly fellow, that lives well, at least three yards in the girth.
1716 March 15 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 22. Sunday, March 5. [1716.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC - countableuncountableThe distance measured around an object; the circumference.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounstable gear consisting of a band around a horse's belly that holds the saddle in place
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*gʰerdʰ-“to encircle, enclose; belt”
- Proto-Germanic*gerdō
- Old Norsegjǫrð
- Middle Englishgirth
- Englishgirth
From Middle English girth, gerth, gyrth, from Old Norse gjǫrð, from Proto-Germanic *gerdō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰerdʰ- (“to encircle, enclose; belt”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌳𐌰 (gairda), Icelandic gjörð. Also related to German Gurt, English gird, Albanian ngërthej (“to tie, bind, fasten”).
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian подпру́га, подпора
- подпру́га (podprúga)band or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- подпора (podpora)small horizontal brace or girder
- обиколка (obikolka)the distance measured around an object
Catalan cingla, circumferència
- cinglaband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- circumferènciathe distance measured around an object
Czech podpěnka, podbřišník
- podpěnkaband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- podbřišníkband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- obvodthe distance measured around an object
Dutch singel, omtrek
- singelband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- omtrekthe distance measured around an object
- omvangthe distance measured around an object
Finnish satulavyö, ympärysmitta
- satulavyöband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- ympärysmittathe distance measured around an object
French sangle, circonférence
- sangleband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- circonférencethe distance measured around an object
- tourthe distance measured around an object
- maillegraph theory
German Sattelgurt, Umfang
- Sattelgurtband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- Umfangthe distance measured around an object
Hebrew היקף
- היקף (hekef)the distance measured around an object
Hungarian kerület, körfogat
- kerületthe distance measured around an object
- körfogatthe distance measured around an object
Icelandic gjörð, söðulgjörð
- gjörðband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- söðulgjörðband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
Italian cinghia, sottopancia
- cinghiaband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- sottopanciaband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- circonferenzathe distance measured around an object
- calibrograph theory
Māori kati
- katiband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
Norwegian salgjord, omkrets
- salgjordband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- omkretsthe distance measured around an object
Polish popręg, obwód
- popręgband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- obwódthe distance measured around an object
Portuguese cilha, circunferência
- cilhaband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- circunferênciathe distance measured around an object
- cinturagraph theory
Russian подпру́га, обхва́т
- подпру́га (podprúga)band or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- обхва́т (obxvát)the distance measured around an object
Spanish cincha, cintura
- cinchaband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- cinturagraph theory
Swedish sadelgjord, gjord
- sadelgjordband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- gjordband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- omkretsthe distance measured around an object
- omfångthe distance measured around an object
Tagalog satiyan, paniyan
- satiyanband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- paniyanband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
Turkish kolan
- kolanband or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
Ukrainian попру́га, окру́жність
- попру́га (poprúha)band or strap passed under an animal to hold a saddle in place
- окру́жність (okrúžnistʹ)the distance measured around an object
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with girth
Anagrams
Cite this entry
girth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/girth
“girth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/girth. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “girth,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/girth.
Source: girth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.