Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “girth” come from?

Girth comes from Middle English girth, from Old Norse gjǫrð, from Proto-Germanic gerdō, from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ-.

girth (English): A band passed under the belly of an animal, which...

Definitions

  1. A band passed under the belly of an animal, which...

Ancestry of “girth”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgirth—
2Old Norsegjǫrðgirdle, saddle girth
3Proto-Germanicgerdōgirdle
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʰerdʰ-to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt

Words derived from “girth”

  • girt
  • girthed
  • ungirt
  • seagirt
  • engirt
  • girthy
  • girthsome
  • girthless
  • digirth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- →