waist

American  

[weyst] / weɪst /

noun

1. the part of the body in humans between the ribs and the hips, usually the narrowest part of the torso.

2. the part of a garment covering this part of the body.

3. blouse.

4. the part of a one-piece garment covering the body from the neck or shoulders more or less to the waistline, especially this part of a woman's or child's garment.

5. a child's undergarment to which other articles of apparel may be attached.

6. the part of an object, especially a central or middle part, that resembles or is analogous to the human waist.

   the waist of a violin.

7. Nautical. the central part of a ship; that part of the deck between the forecastle and the quarterdeck.

8. the constricted portion of the abdomen of certain insects, as a wasp.

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waist British  

/ weɪst /

noun

1. anatomy the constricted part of the trunk between the ribs and hips

2. the part of a garment covering the waist

3. the middle part of an object that resembles the waist in narrowness or position

4. the middle part of a ship

5. Also called: centre section.  the middle section of an aircraft fuselage

6. the constriction between the thorax and abdomen in wasps and similar insects

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Other Word Forms

• waistless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of waist

1300–50; Middle English wast, apocopated variant of wastum, Old English wæstm growth, form, figure; akin to wax ²

Explanation

On a human, the waist is the narrowing between the ribs and the hips –- though for many of us, "narrowing" may actually be "expanding." Waist can also refer to the part of a piece of clothing that covers the waist — like the waist (or waistline) of a dress or a jacket. Most likely you know these most common definitions of waist, but did you know that a waist can also be the narrow part of a shoe, or of a violin? Don’t confuse the definition of waist with waste, though the words have the same pronunciation.

Example Sentences

The Sweeney Cinched Waist denim jacket sold out in a day, and the Sydney Jean, an ultrawide leg with a butterfly on the back pocket, sold out in a week.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 30, 2025

Waist circumference: is an effective measure of fat distribution, particularly for athletes who carry less fat and more muscle.

From Salon • Sep. 11, 2023

Waist circumference does not consider variations in height either, which is why incorporating additional measures such as waist-to-height ratio is important for a comprehensive assessment.

From Scientific American • Jul. 5, 2023

The Wicked Witch of the Waist Who was the sworn enemy of Oz — and of Lbs?

From Washington Post • Dec. 31, 2014

Among the active members of the Ladies Waist Makers' Union in New York, there is a young Russian Jewess of sixteen, who may be called Natalya Urusova.

From Making Both Ends Meet The income and outlay of New York working girls by Clark, Sue Ainslie

Related Words

• midriff
• waistline