Gordel

Gordel is a Dutch noun meaning belt or girdle: a strip worn around the waist to fasten clothing or to carry tools, and more generally any band that encircles an object. In everyday language, riem or band is often used for a typical clothing belt, while gordel tends to appear in more formal or technical terms, such as veiligheidsgordel for a seat belt.

Etymology and related terms: Gordel is of Germanic origin and is cognate with the German Gurtel and the English girdle. The word is attested in Dutch from older stages of the language and is related to other terms for binding or enclosing a contour or shape.

Usage and context: In Dutch, gordel is the standard word for a belt when the meaning is formal, technical, or compound-based. For ordinary clothing belts, many speakers prefer riem, but gordel remains common in fixed expressions and in certain domains such as safety equipment, where veiligheidsgordel is the standard term for a seat belt.

See also: Belt, girdle, strap, and related terms in Dutch such as riem and band.