Added 9 October 2026
girdle
/ˈɡɝdl̩/ noun
In Latin: cingulum, cinctus, zōna Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about girdle at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- An encircling or ringlike structure.
- A band of material around the waist that strengthens a skirt or trousers.
- A woman's close-fitting foundation garment.
verb
Origin
From Middle English girdel, gerdel, gurdel, from Old English gyrdel, from Proto-West Germanic *gurdil, from Proto-Germanic *gurdilaz (“girdle, belt”), equivalent to gird + -le. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Gäddel (“belt”), West Frisian gurdle, gurle, gurl (“belt”), Dutch gordel (“belt”), German Gürtel (“belt”), Yiddish גאַרטל (gartl, “belt”) (whence gartel, a doublet of girdle), Swedish gördel (“girdle”), Icelandic gyrðill (“girdle”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)