Headstrap

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A strap that fits around the head of a horse as part of its bridle or halter, holding the other pieces in place
2. The band passing over a horse's head that keeps its bridle or halter secured in position
3. A leather or nylon strap encircling a horse's skull, forming part of the headgear used to control it

Etymology: A headstrap is, quite literally, a strap that goes around the head, and the word is simply a compound of "head" and "strap." That plainness is the whole story: "head" traces back to Old English "heafod," and "strap" is a much later borrowing, likely from a Middle English term for a band or strip of leather or cloth. Put together, the two parts describe exactly what the object is, which is typical of many everyday English compounds built from common nouns. The compound's usefulness lies in its transparency. Writers in fields like horse equipment, diving, headphones, and medical gear could reach for it without inventing a new term, because the parts already told readers what the thing was. Its meaning has stayed fixed since it was formed, with no notable shift from its literal sense.

Synonyms: headband, headstall