Girth

Pronunciation: /ɡɜrθ/

Definitions of girth

noun the measurement around the middle of something, especially a person's waist or a horse's body

Example Sentences

A1 The horse's girth was too tight.

A2 She measured the girth of the tree to estimate its age.

B1 The girth of the waistband on these jeans is adjustable.

B2 The girth of the ship was so wide that it barely fit through the narrow canal.

C1 The girth of the giant sequoia tree was truly impressive.

C2 The girth of the elephant's body was massive, indicating its strength and size.

Examples of girth in a Sentence

formal The girth of the tree trunk measured over five feet in diameter.

informal I couldn't believe the girth of the sandwich they served me at the deli!

slang Check out the girth on that guy, he must lift weights all day.

figurative The girth of her knowledge on the subject was impressive.

Grammatical Forms of girth

• past tense: girthed
• plural: girths
• comparative: girthier
• superlative: girthiest
• present tense: girth
• future tense: will girth
• perfect tense: has girthed
• continuous tense: is girding
• singular: girth
• positive degree: girth
• infinitive: to girth
• gerund: girding
• participle: girthed

Origin and Evolution of girth

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old Norse

Story behind the word: The word 'girth' originated from Middle English, derived from the Old Norse word 'gyrth', meaning a belt or girdle.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'girth' expanded to refer to the measurement around the middle of an object or person, such as a horse's girth or a person's waist measurement.