girdle

[ gur-dl ]
/ ˈgɜr dl /

noun

verb (used with object), gir·dled, gir·dling.

Origin of girdle

before 1000; Middle English; Old English gyrdel, derivative of girdan to gird1

OTHER WORDS FROM girdle

gir·dle·like, adjective gir·dling·ly, adverb un·gir·dle, verb (used with object), un·gir·dled, un·gir·dling.

Example sentences from the Web for girdle

British Dictionary definitions for girdle (1 of 2)

girdle 1
/ (ˈɡɜːdəl) /

noun

verb (tr)

Derived forms of girdle

girdle-like, adjective

Word Origin for girdle

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

British Dictionary definitions for girdle (2 of 2)

girdle 2
/ (ˈɡɜːdəl) /

noun

Scot and Northern English dialect another word for griddle

Medical definitions for girdle

girdle
[ gûrdl ]

n.

Something that encircles like a belt.
An elasticized, flexible undergarment worn over the waist and hips.
The pelvic or pectoral girdle.

Scientific definitions for girdle

girdle
[ gûrdl ]

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.