G-string

A G-string (alternatively gee-string or gee string) is a type of underwear, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men. It is also a style of thong swimsuit whose rear area can become so narrow that it would disappear between the wearer's buttocks. The two terms G-string and thong are often used interchangeably; however, they can refer to distinct pieces of clothing. A G-string is one variety of thong. See the design and variety of thongs for details.

Etymology

The origin of the term "G-string" is obscure. Since the 19th century, the term geestring referred to the string which held the loincloth of Native Americans and later referred to the narrow loincloth itself. William Safire in his Ode on a G-String quoted the usage of the word "G-string" for loincloth by Harper's Magazine 15 years after Beadle's and suggested that the magazine confused the word with the musical term G-string (i.e., the string for the G note). Safire also mentions the opinion of linguist Robert Hendrickson that G (or gee) stands for groin, which was a taboo word at these times.

Edgar Rice Burroughs dressed his created novel-character, Tarzan, in a G-string for first time in his book The Son of Tarzan (1914) in chapter 26. However, Korak, son of Tarzan, used a G-string before his father Tarzan did in the same book (chapter 20).

Translation

The word "G-string" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Dutch, Turkish, Vietnamese, Yiddish.

Translation(s) in other languages: Breton: String, Danish: G-streng, German: String (Kleidung), Esperanto: Ŝnurkalsoneto, French: String (lingerie), Italian: Tanga, Japanese: Gストリング, Norwegian (Bokmål): G-streng, Norwegian (Nynorsk): G-streng, Swedish: Stringtrosor, Thai: จี-สตริง, Chinese: 丁字褲.