gaiter

Meanings

Noun

• A covering of cloth or leather for the ankle and instep.
• A covering cloth or leather for the whole leg from the knee to the instep, fitting down upon the shoe.
• Part of the ecclesiastical garb of a bishop.

Verb

• To dress with gaiters.

Origin

• Borrowed from French guêtre, from Middle French guiestres, guestes, from Old French *gueste, from Frankish *wasta, *wastija, from Proto-Germanic *wastijō ("garment; dress").
• Cognate with Middle High German wester ("a child's chrisom-cloth"), Middle High German westebarn ("godchild"), Old English wæstling ("a coverlet"), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐍃𐍄𐌹.