What does ungirt mean?
Ungirt is an uncommon English adjective meaning not girded: having no belt, band, or fastening around the waist, or having one loosened. In older and literary writing, it commonly describes a person whose clothing or armor is unfastened, as in the expression 'ungirt loins.' The word can also be used figuratively to describe something free from restraint, convention, or limitation. Its present-day use is rare, so it usually gives writing an archaic, elevated, or deliberately traditional character rather than sounding like ordinary modern English. Ungirt belongs to the family of the English verb gird, meaning to encircle, fasten, or surround, with the prefix un- supplying the negative sense. The physical image is especially vivid: a belt removed or left undone becomes a metaphor for freedom from control.
Not girded; having a belt, band, or fastening removed or loosened.
"The archer stood with his quiver strap ungirt and his bowstring slack."
This literal sense is chiefly literary or historical and is often used predicatively, especially in the phrase 'loins ungirt.'
Free from restraint, limitation, or confinement.
"Her imagination remained ungirt by the expectations of the school."
This figurative sense is uncommon and has an elevated, literary tone.
The phrase 'ungirt loins' makes restraint literal: a belt removed from the waist and, by extension, a constraint removed from life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How ungirt is actually used
The word is now rare and is used chiefly in literary, historical, or archaic contexts. It is especially associated with descriptions of a belt or garment left loose, and its figurative sense is correspondingly elevated.
Easily confused with ungirt
Ungird is a verb meaning to remove a belt or fastening, whereas ungirt is an adjective describing something already loose or ungirded.