garter

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

gar•ter /ˈgɑrtɚ/   n. [countable]

1. Clothing an article of clothing for holding up a stocking, as an elastic band worn around the leg.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

gar•ter  (gär′tər), n. 

1. Clothing Also called,[Brit.,] sock suspender, suspender. an article of clothing for holding up a stocking or sock, usually an elastic band around the leg or an elastic strap hanging from a girdle or other undergarment.
2. Clothing a similar band worn to hold up a shirt sleeve.
3. Clothing a leather strap for passing through a loop at the back of a boot and buckling around the leg to keep the boot from slipping.
4. British Terms
   • the badge of the Order of the Garter.
   • membership in the Order.
   • (cap.) the Order itself.
   • (usually cap.) a member of the Order.

v.t. 

5. to fasten with a garter.

• Celtic; compare Welsh gar shank, Breton gâr leg
• Old North French gartier, derivative of garet the bend of the knee
• Middle English 1300–50

gar′ter•less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

garter / ˈɡɑːtə/ noun

1. a band, usually of elastic, worn round the arm or leg to hold up a shirtsleeve, sock, or stocking
2. an elastic strap attached to a belt or corset having a fastener at the end, for holding up women's stockings
3. a similar fastener attached to a garter belt worn by men in order to support socks
   Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): suspender
4. have someone's guts for garters ⇒
   See gut10

verb

1. (transitive) to fasten, support, or secure with or as if with a garter

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old Northern French gartier, from garet bend of the knee, probably of Celtic origin

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Garter / ˈɡɑːtə/ noun the Garter ⇒

1. See Order of the Garter
2. (sometimes not capital) the badge of this Order
3. membership of this Order