girthy

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparableinformal

   Thick around the middle or wide in circumference, said of an object, plant or animal.

   Grammar: Gradable: a girthy trunk, a girthier trunk, the girthiest trunk.

   Patterns

   • a girthy trunk
   • girthy around the middle

   The girthy oak in the park took three people to hug.

   He wrapped the girthy rope twice around the post.

   The cook held up a girthy sausage and grinned.

2. 2adjectivecomparableslangvulgar

   Used in crude slang to describe a thick body part, especially in sexual contexts.

   Grammar: Slang use only; it is generally avoided in polite conversation.

   The word girthy is sometimes used in crude jokes, so many people avoid it.

   Dictionaries label the slang use of girthy as vulgar.

   Teachers advise students to choose a neutral word instead of girthy in formal writing.

Word forms

Common combinations

girthy trunk

A girthy trunk supported the huge old tree.

girthy cable

A girthy cable ran along the floor.

girthy tree

They measured the girthy tree with a tape.

pretty girthy

That pipe is pretty girthy for such a small sink.

Synonyms and how they differ

thick

Thick is the everyday neutral word and suits any setting, while girthy is informal and stresses width around the middle.

stout

Stout suggests strong and sturdy build, often of people, while girthy simply says something is wide around.

bulky

Bulky stresses overall size and awkwardness, whereas girthy is about thickness around.

broad

Broad describes width from side to side, while girthy describes distance around.

Opposites

Word family

girth noun

the distance around something, such as a tree or waist

girth verb

to measure around, or to fasten with a strap

girthiness noun

the state of being girthy, rare

Commonly confused: girthy or gritty?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “girthy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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