The combination of a toothed pulley (21, 21A) and a toothed belt (23, 23A), and the method of making the same. The toothed belt has teeth (31, 31A) that serially mesh with pulley cavities (25, 25A) that are respectively disposed between adjacent teeth (24, 24A) thereof. Each belt tooth (31, 31A) has a longitudinal cross-sectional configuration that defines a pair of spaced side faces (37, 37A) that respectively have free end portions (49, 49A) thereof that are remote from adjacent roots (39, 39A) thereof. The teeth (24, 24A) of the pulley (21, 21A) and the teeth (31, 31A) of the belt (23, 23A) are constructed and arranged in such a way that each belt tooth (31, 31A) would have the pair of free end portions (49, 49A) thereof compressed radially outwardly and inwardly toward each other by the respective adjacent pulley teeth (24, 24A) if that belt tooth (31, 31A) is fully received in the cavity (25, 25A) between those respective adjacent pulley teeth (24, 24A), and those respective adjacent pulley teeth are just making contact with the land areas (36) of the belt on each side of that belt tooth while being spaced from the respective roots (39, 39A) of that belt tooth.