waist

 
Pronunciation: /weɪst/

noun

  • 1the part of the human body below the ribs and above the hips, often narrower than the areas above and below: he put an arm around her waist the last time you had a waist was around 1978
  • the circumference of a person’s waist: her waist has reduced from 35 to 28 inches
  • the part of a garment around or covering the waist: trousers with an elasticated waist
  • the point at which a garment is shaped so as to narrow between the ribcage and the hips: a jacket with a high waist
  • 2a narrow part in the middle of something, such as a violin or hourglass.
  • the middle part of a ship, between the forecastle and the quarterdeck.
  • 3US a blouse or bodice.

Derivatives

waisted

adjective
[in combination]: high-waisted

waistless

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: apparently representing an Old English word from the Germanic root of wax2

Do not confuse waste with waist. Waste means 'use more of something than is necessary or useful' ( we can’t afford to waste electricity), whereas waist means 'the part of a person’s body between the ribs and the hips' ( he put his arm around her waist).