A belt is a strip of leather, cloth, or other material worn around the waist to hold up pants or to add style to an outfit. Most belts have holes along their length and a buckle that fastens them closed. Your dad might wear a belt to keep his jeans from slipping down, while someone might wear a decorative belt to complete a special outfit.

The word also describes regions or zones with distinctive characteristics. The Corn Belt refers to Midwestern states where farmers grow enormous amounts of corn. The Bible Belt describes parts of the American South where Christian faith plays a central role in community life. The asteroid belt is a region of space between Mars and Jupiter filled with millions of rocky objects. These uses of belt capture the idea of a continuous band or strip stretching across an area.

In karate, judo, and other martial arts, colored belts show a student's skill level. A white belt is a beginner, while a black belt has achieved mastery through years of dedicated practice. When someone says they earned their black belt, they're describing a major accomplishment that required patience, discipline, and hard work.

To belt something means to hit it hard or to sing loudly and powerfully. A baseball player might belt a home run over the fence, or a Broadway performer might belt out a song that fills the entire theater with their voice.