girth
n.n. the distance around something, especially the size of a person's waist or the thickness of a tree. It is a more formal or old-fashioned word for 'width'.
n. the measurement of the distance around an object, such as a person's waist or a tree's trunk. Often used in technical or literary contexts to describe the circumference of a cylindrical or rounded shape.
The tree has a very large girth.
The tailor measured the girth of the customer's waist to ensure the suit would fit perfectly.
The ancient oak, with a girth of over ten feet, stood as a silent witness to the history of the village, its roots deeply embedded in the valley floor.
From Middle English girth, gerth, gyrth, from Old Norse gjǫrð, from Proto-Germanic gerdō, from Proto-Indo-European gʰerdʰ- (“to encircle, enclose; belt”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌳𐌰 (gairda), Icelandic gjörð. Also related to German Gurt, English gird, Albanian ngërthej (“to tie, bind, fasten”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 19, 2026