hourglass

1 of 2

noun

hour·​glass ˈau̇(-ə)r-ˌglas 

: an instrument for measuring time consisting of a glass vessel having two compartments from the upper of which a quantity of usually sand runs in an hour into the lower one

Illustration of hourglass

hourglass

2 of 2

adjective

: shaped like an hourglass

an hourglass figure

Examples of hourglass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For the newly initiated, there is subtle messaging around the use of refillable water stations or reusing towels and linens, notes on sustainable shopping printed on hangers in closets, and a sand hourglass timer in the shower to help reduce water waste. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Gold and red blooms against the black backdrop add just enough contrast, while the hourglass silhouette strikes a balance between sexy and refined. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026

Adjective

And yet, her body, designed by a man, had a waist equivalent to 18 inches on a real woman; an impossibly thin figure made even more so by her zaftig 39-inch bust and 33-inch hourglass hip measurement. —Kate Branch, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2018

Her bright blouse and pants clung to her thick, hourglass figure. —Aya De Leon, The Root, 22 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1515, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1834, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hourglass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• chagas
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse

Kids Definition

hourglass

noun

hour·​glass

ˈȧu(ə)r-ˌglas

: an instrument for measuring time in which usually sand runs from the upper part to the lower part of a glass container in an hour

hourglass adjective