low-rise

American  

[loh-rahyz] / ˈloʊˌraɪz /

adjective

1. having a comparatively small number of floors, as a motel or townhouse, and usually no elevator.

2. (of pants) having a waistline placed at or just below the hips.

   low-rise jeans.

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noun

1. a low-rise building.

low-rise British  

adjective

1. of or relating to a building having only a few storeys Compare high-rise

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noun

1. such a building

Etymology

Origin of low-rise

First recorded in 1955–60; on the model of high-rise ( def. )

Example Sentences

It is flanked by low-rise apartment buildings and retail spaces typical of the Bowery neighborhood.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

Align Real Estate was pitching 25 stories of housing to sit atop the grocery store, creating a 297-foot tower that would loom over the rest of the traditionally low-rise neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

In August, Gap executives said that denim and activewear were popular at Old Navy, while looser denim fits and the return of low-rise jeans had helped draw customers to its namesake stores.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 20, 2025

She’s wearing low-rise jeans and a paisley-print top and sips an espresso after the six-hour drive from Phoenix.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

If I angled myself a certain way, I could trace the coastline and glimpse a narrow seam of the South Side with its low-rise rooftops and intermittent stands of trees.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama