Girth Meaning
/ɡɜːθ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA band passed under the belly of an animal, which holds a saddle or a harness saddle in place.
nounThe part of an animal around which the girth fits.
Sentence Examples
Girth is more significant than length.
The incredible girth of a Sequoia tree is necessary to support its titanic height.
Due to his expanding girth, he shifted from belts to suspenders.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The tree's ____ was so large that two people could not wrap their arms around it.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The massive oak tree in the center of the park had a ____ of over twenty feet around its base.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The tree's ____ was so large that two people could not wrap their arms around it.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The massive oak tree in the center of the park had a ____ of over twenty feet around its base.