Crossbelt

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A strap or belt worn diagonally across the chest or back to support equipment or a pouch
2. A broad band slung over one shoulder and across the torso, often used to carry ammunition or gear
3. A diagonal belt running from shoulder to hip that holds weapons, pouches or other kit in place

Etymology: A crossbelt is exactly what its name suggests: a strap worn diagonally across the body, running from one shoulder to the opposite hip, rather than straight around the waist. The word is a plain compound of "cross," in its sense of something laid athwart or across, and "belt," the band of leather or cloth that holds up or carries something. Nothing in its making is hidden or surprising, which is typical of many military and ceremonial terms formed by joining two everyday English words. The idea is older than the word. Soldiers and officers across Europe carried weapons, pouches and ammunition on diagonal straps long before anyone needed a single name for them, and the compound simply describes the arrangement in plain terms. Its parts are both native English, so there is no borrowing from Latin or French to trace.