girth
UK[ɡɜːθ]US[ɡɜːrθ]
n
The measurement around the middle of something, especially a person's waist.
n
A strap fastened around the belly of a horse or other animal to secure a saddle or pack.
Etymology
The word 'girth' entered English from Old Norse 'gjǫrð', meaning a girdle or a hoop. This Norse term is cognate with the Old English 'gyrdan', meaning 'to gird', both tracing back to the Proto-Germanic root gurdijaną. The core concept has always been one of encircling or binding. Over time, its application narrowed in English to specifically denote the measurement of that encircling distance or the physical strap that performs the action, moving from a general verb for encircling to a concrete noun.
Analysis
The word 'girth' is a simplex word of Old Norse origin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
The tree's girth was over ten feet.
He needed a belt for his increasing girth.
She tightened the horse's girth before mounting.