English
garter
Garter comes from Old French garet, and goes back to Proto-Celtic *garros ‘calf, shank’.
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*garros‘calf, shank’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CE*garrāreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400garet
- Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400gartier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500garter
- Englishearliest quotation 1842same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*garros‘calf, shank’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CE*garrāreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400garet
- Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400gartier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500garter
- Englishearliest quotation 1842same form
Earliest quotation: 1842, The Hobart Town Advertiser, Tasmania: “GRAND TRAMPOLINE, by Mr KING, (from Astley's Amphitheatre, London)…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰes- ‘hand’
host, surgery, surgical, millionaire, kilometre, chiral, hasta, 40 more
Today it means
noun A band worn around the leg to hold up a sock or stocking.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Celtic *garros / garter