cinch — a strap that goes around a horse to hold the saddle on
cincha — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning
We took our English word of “cinch” from the Spanish word “cincha,” but they both hearken back to Latin and the verb cingere which means “to gird,” or “to encircle and bind.” Thus, the reason for the medieval torture device once worn by women called a “girdle,” but I digress.
Knowing “cincha” from “cinch” or vice versa makes learning two very useful Spanish words quite easy. Those words are “cintura” and “cinturόn.” Hopefully, you are envisioning things that encircle because if you are, you are halfway there in learning these words.
“La cintura” is your “waist” or the part of your body that encircles your lower torso. When we talk about someone’s waist, we understand that it goes completely around the body. Your belly stays in front while your ass hangs out in back, but your waist gets to visit both. So the word “cintura” is used in Spanish to refer to that part of the body that encircles it, and it’s a feminine word no matter the gender of the person to whom it is attached.
“El cinturόn” is the Spanish word for “belt.” A belt, as you well know, encircles your body at your waist. If you don’t know this, you are probably wearing it wrong.
In English, we actually have a wonderful cognate for “cinturόn.” Do you know what it is?
It is “cincture.” A “cincture” is a belt, usually one worn by priests or monks on their robes, but it is a belt, nonetheless.
Another useful word in Spanish is “cinta” which usually refers to some type of tape, but it can also refer to a “headband” which is essentially a ribbon or band that encircles the head.
The word “gird” goes back to Old English, but we English speakers are more likely to say that we are “cinching our belts” rather than girding them.
Apparently, we started saying that something was a “cinch” meaning that it was easy or surefire in reference to the physical “cinch” and its easy ability to keep the saddle on the horse. It’s a rather odd expression when you think about it, but I know I’ve used it many times over the years.
I hope these weekly posts are helping to make learning words more of a cinch for you. If they are, please share them with others and encourage them to subscribe.
Until next time.
Tammy Marshall
Cinch