Girths

/ɡɜːrðz/ noun

Definition

Plural of girth; bands or straps that go around a horse's body to secure a saddle, or measurements around something's circumference.

Etymology

From Old Norse 'gjörð' meaning belt, plural form showing '-s' ending. The word entered English through Viking traders and became essential equestrian vocabulary.

Kelly Says

Vikings and their horse equipment so impressed Saxon England that Norse words for horse gear were borrowed wholesale—'girth' is one of the few Old Norse words English kept specifically because the Norse were better horsemen. Language preserves cultural prestige.

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