Girthy Meaning and Examples

"Girthy" is an informal and colloquial adjective that is often used to describe something as thick, substantial, or having a large circumference.

The word is commonly used in casual language to refer to objects, body parts, or anything that appears robust or sizable. The noun "girth" itself, the root of "girthy," means the circumference of a thick and large body, like a human belly or a tree trunk. A "girthy" tree trunk would be a tree trunk that has a relatively large distance (or circumference) around the outside of the trunk.

For instance, suppose you are at a restaurant with a friend, and you both receive massive burgers. You may say, "Wow, that burger is incredibly girthy! I'm not sure if I can finish it." This means the burger is a hefty size, and it is so big that you are unsure that you can eat the whole burger.

Synonyms for "girthy"

Although no single word carries the exact same meaning and nuances as "girthy," here are some words that are similar in meaning.

Bulky
Thick
Broad
Chunky
Robust
Hefty
Sizeable
Big
Ample

The use of "girthy" over time

The Oxford's English Dictionary's earliest evidence for "girthy" is from 1854 in the Economist, a widely influential British weekly magazine known for its coverage of a broad range of topics, including economics, business, politics, finance, science, and culture.

As shown in the Google Books Ngram Viewer graph above, the adjective "girthy" has been seeing a rise in use since the 2000s. This may be due to the fact that the word is being used more informally across the Internet.

Example sentences

The ancient tree in the park had a girthy trunk that provided shade on hot summer days.
Her girthy wristwatch attracted attention with its oversized face.
The cat's girthy tail swayed gracefully as it moved around the room.
The new smartphone model boasts a girthy battery that provides extended usage time.
The prize-winning pumpkin was incredibly girthy, setting a new record.
The bodybuilder had impressively girthy arms, the result of years of intense training.
The ship's anchor chain was girthy and incredibly heavy.
The bakery is known for its girthy, cream-filled doughnuts.
The boxer had a girthy build, making him a formidable opponent in the ring.
The professor's girthy volume of research on the subject is considered a seminal work in the field.

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