girdle
girdle Lexical Profile
girdle Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A woman's elasticized foundation garment worn around the waist and hips to shape or support the body.
"During the mid-twentieth century, the girdle was a rigid staple of women's fashion before yielding to softer, more modern undergarments."
A belt or cord worn around the waist, especially as part of historical, religious, or ceremonial dress.
"The abbot tied a simple woolen girdle around his waist before leaving the monastery grounds."
A bony anatomical structure or framework in the vertebrate body that connects the limbs to the central skeleton, such as the pelvis or the shoulder bones.
"The physical therapist explained how strengthening the muscles attached to the pelvic girdle would improve the patient's overall posture."
• verb
To encircle, bound, or encompass something entirely, acting as a band or barrier.
"A thick ring of evergreen forest girdles the base of the massive volcano."
To remove a continuous band of bark and cambium from the circumference of a tree trunk, disrupting nutrient flow and typically killing the tree.
"Porcupines often girdle young saplings during harsh winters by chewing the bark entirely around the trunk."
• Rhymes for girdle
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'gyrdel', of Germanic origin. It is closely related to the verb 'gird', sharing roots with Dutch 'gordel' and German 'Gürtel'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.