waist
Americannoun
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waists
plural
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the part of the body in humans between the ribs and the hips, usually the narrowest part of the torso.
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the part of a garment covering this part of the body.
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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.
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a child's undergarment to which other articles of apparel may be attached.
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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.
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Nautical. the central part of a ship; that part of the deck between the forecastle and the quarterdeck.
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the constricted portion of the abdomen of certain insects, as a wasp.
noun
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anatomy the constricted part of the trunk between the ribs and hips
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the part of a garment covering the waist
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the middle part of an object that resembles the waist in narrowness or position
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the middle part of a ship
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Also called: centre section. the middle section of an aircraft fuselage
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the constriction between the thorax and abdomen in wasps and similar insects
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Earlier results from the Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial showed that adding a daily avocado did not reduce body weight or waist circumference in people with obesity.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
Researchers also measured body weight, waist circumference, body composition, and fasting levels of several hormones involved in appetite regulation.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
Mallory's name tag was on his clothing and a rope was still round his waist.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
Harpootlian tugged on the heavy restraints binding Murdaugh’s hands, waist and feet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Down by the boy’s waist, a pair of chubby hands appears, followed by the moon face of a smaller boy, a toddler who can’t be older than three.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Rice recalls the washboard abs of the ’90s; the athletic build of the early 2000s; the quest, in the 2010s, for tiny waists and huge biceps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
Other noteworthy pieces included dresses with spherical birdcage-inspired silhouettes, while other models wore transparent vest tops with their dresses gathered around their waists.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
The bumps push out candy-striped and aproned gowns; they are exaggerated by belted waists, and one particularly protuberant tummy doubles as a perch for a parakeet.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2025
It has numerous pockets to keep things organized and fits waists up to 55 inches.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2025
Syl’s ma and pa had their backs to us with their arms ’round each other’s waists.
From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
