girth

1 of 2

noun

1
: a band or strap that encircles the body of an animal to fasten something (such as a saddle) on its back
2
a
: a measure around a body
a man of more than average girth
the girth of a tree

girth

2 of 2

verb

girthed; girthing; girths

transitive verb

1
2
: to bind or fasten with a band or strap
3
: to measure around the body of something

Examples of girth in a Sentence

Noun The tree is about two meters in girth. a person of large girth a girth of about two meters Verb you'll need to make sure you girth the saddle tightly or you'll fall off the horse his arms couldn't quite girth the stone column
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The trout was 29 inches long with a girth of 21 inches. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2024 Given the unprecedented girth of the tech megacaps, there will be implications for the U.S. economy as a whole. David Meyer, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2024 Pelicans' bigs Larry Nance Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas are tough to keep off the glass and are solid finishers for their leaping ability and lumberjack-like girth, respectively. Dana Scott, The Arizona Republic, 18 Jan. 2024 Francis, nicknamed for his girth, was brought to Miami, where he is expected to make his first appearance before a judge Thursday. Kristina Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2023 Fine, but what does the national girth have to do with some foreign guy’s mortgage expense? Robert Goulder, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023 Lord’s blue cat measured 40.5 inches long, with a 30-inch girth. Outdoor Life, 27 Sep. 2023 Add in the growing physical girth of passengers (at least here in the US) and our preference to travel with large bags, and there is a tremendous amount of weight to transport people through the sky. Abigail Bassett, Ars Technica, 7 June 2023 The anglers measured it at 33.5 inches long with a 26-inch girth. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 18 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'girth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English gerth, girth "belt securing a horse's saddle, hoop around a barrel or tub," borrowed from Old Norse *gerðu-, base of gjǫrð "belt, girth," going back to Germanic *gerđō (whence also Middle Dutch darmgherde "girth," Gothic gairda "belt"), from an e-grade derivative of the root seen in *gurđjan- "to encircle with a belt" — more at gird entry 1

Verb

Middle English gerthen, girthen, derivative of gerth, girth girth entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of girth was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near girth

Cite this Entry

“Girth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girth. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

girth

noun
ˈgərth
1
: a band around the body of an animal to fasten something (as a saddle) upon its back
2
: a measure around a body
the girth of a tree trunk
girth verb

Medical Definition

girth

noun
: a measure around a body

More from Merriam-Webster on girth

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!