waist

American  

[weyst] / weɪst /

noun

waists plural

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

Derived Forms

• waistless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• waists
  plural

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

Waist circumference also dropped more sharply with semaglutide, decreasing by an average of −14.3 cm versus −6.0 cm with placebo.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

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

Waist deep in water they fought, till the survivors contrived to escape in their boats.

From The Nameless Island A Story of some Modern Robinson Crusoes by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

Related Words

• midriff
• waistline