girdle

[ gur-dl ]

noun

1. a lightweight undergarment, worn especially by women, often partly or entirely of elastic or boned, for supporting and giving a slimmer appearance to the abdomen, hips, and buttocks.
2. a belt, cord, sash, or the like, worn about the waist.
3. anything that encircles, confines, or limits.

   Synonyms: hedge, band, ring, circle, belt

4. Jewelry. the edge or narrow band between the upper and lower facets of a gem.
5. Anatomy. the bony framework that unites the upper or lower extremities to the axial skeleton.
6. Architecture. an ornamental band, especially one surrounding the shaft of a column.
7. a ring made about a tree trunk, branch, etc., by removing a band of bark.

verb (used with object)

, gir·dled, gir·dling.

1. to encircle with a belt; gird.
2. to encompass; enclose; encircle.
3. to move around (something or someone) in a circle.
4. to cut away the bark and cambium in a ring around (a tree, branch, etc.).
5. Jewelry. round ¹( def 49 ).

girdle

¹

/ ˈɡɜːdəl /

noun

1. a woman's elastic corset covering the waist to the thigh
2. anything that surrounds or encircles
3. a belt or sash
4. jewellery the outer edge of a gem
5. anatomy any encircling structure or part See pectoral girdle pelvic girdle
6. the mark left on a tree trunk after the removal of a ring of bark

verb

1. to put a girdle on or around
2. to surround or encircle
3. to remove a ring of bark from (a tree or branch), thus causing it to die

girdle

²

/ ˈɡɜːdəl /

noun

1. dialect.
   another word for griddle

girdle

/ gûr′dl /

1. To kill a tree or woody shrub by removing or destroying a band of bark and cambium from its circumference. The plants die because the distribution of food down from the leaves (through the phloem) and sometimes the flow of water and nutrients up from the roots (through the xylem) is disrupted, and the cambium can no longer regenerate these vascular tissues to repair the damage. Unwanted trees, such as invasive or nonnative species, are often eliminated by girdling. Some plant diseases kill trees by destroying a ring of cambium and so girdling them. Gnawing animals, especially rodents, can also girdle trees.

Derived Forms

• ˈgirdle-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• girdle·like adjective
• girdling·ly adverb
• un·girdle verb (used with object) ungirdled ungirdling

Word History and Origins

Origin of girdle¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English gyrdel, derivative of girdan to gird ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of girdle¹

Old English gyrdel, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse gyrthill, Old Frisian gerdel, Old High German gurtila; see gird ¹

Example Sentences

Each bag is assigned to a player and contains everything that person wore under his uniform — compression shirts, girdles, tights, socks, skull caps.

From Los Angeles Times

In fish, the pelvic fins and bones of the pelvic girdle are relatively small and float freely in the body.

From Science Daily

It takes precision to harness so much abundance; raising the house to save the sibipiruna, for instance, meant inserting tiers in the terrain to avoid girdling the roots of pre-existing loquats and phoenix palms.

From New York Times

If allowed to grow up the trunk of a tree, it can eventually girdle or smother and kill it.

From Seattle Times

As long as a tree is not girdled — cut entirely around its circumference, severing all the vascular tissue — it will continue to live.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• waistband