Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “girth” come from?

girth (Middle English) comes from Old Norse gjǫrð, from Proto-Germanic gerdō, from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- — to enclose, to encircle; enclosure, fence, belt.

Ancestry of “girth”, step by step

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

Words derived from “girth”

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