# girdle

/ˈɡɝdəɫ/ (US) · /ɡˈɜːdəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/girdle
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. shaping undergarment

noun · CEFR B2

a tight piece of underwear that people used to wear to make their stomach and hips look flatter.

For teachers: a close-fitting elasticated undergarment worn to support or shape the abdomen and hips.

- My grandmother used to wear a tight girdle under her formal dresses.
- By the mid-twentieth century, the rigid corset had largely been replaced by the more flexible elastic girdle in women's fashion.

### 2. a belt or sash

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a belt or cord worn around the waist to hold clothes in place.

For teachers: a belt, sash, or cord worn around the waist, often used in historical or religious contexts.

- The knight wore a leather girdle to hold his heavy sword.
- The monk fastened his simple woollen robe with a knotted girdle made of hemp.

### 3. edge of a diamond

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the widest part of a cut diamond where the metal setting holds the stone.

For teachers: the narrow band around the widest part of a faceted gemstone, forming the boundary between the crown and the pavilion.

- The jeweller checked the girdle of the diamond for any small chips.
- A diamond's girdle may be polished, faceted, or left matte, significantly affecting the stone's overall appearance in its setting.

### 4. to encircle

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to surround or go all the way around something.

For teachers: to encircle or surround something completely.

- Ancient stone walls girdle the old city to protect it from invaders.
- A ring of dense pine forest girdles the mountain base, thinning out only as the elevation increases toward the rocky summit.

### 5. to cut a ring in bark

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to cut a ring through the bark of a tree to stop it from growing or to kill it.

For teachers: to cut through the bark and cambium in a ring around a tree trunk, typically to kill the tree or promote fruiting.

- The farmer decided to girdle the invasive trees to clear the land.
- If you girdle a tree too deeply, you sever the vessels that transport nutrients, effectively starving the root system.

## Examples

- The miners installed a new steel girdle to support the tunnel.
- After the roof began to crack, the safety team ordered the immediate installation of a reinforced girdle to prevent a cave-in.
- In deep-level mining operations, the placement of a girdle is a critical engineering decision that determines the long-term structural integrity of the entire shaft system.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.