Definition of waist
1a : the typically narrowed part of the body between the hips and chest or upper back put his arm around her waistb : the greatly constricted basal part of the abdomen of some insects (such as wasps and flies)
2 : the part of something corresponding to or resembling the human waist: such asa (1) : the part of a ship's deck between the poop and forecastle (2) : the middle part of a sailing ship between foremast and mainmastb : the middle section of the fuselage of an airplane
3 : a garment or the part of a garment covering the body from the neck to the waistline or just below:a : bodice 1b : blouse
4 : waistline 1b
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Examples of waist in a Sentence
He has a narrow waist and broad shoulders.
He put his arm around her waist.
These pants have an elastic waist.
The waist of this skirt is too tight.
Recent Examples of waist from the Web
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The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.
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The detectives, who were also on the bus, noticed him reaching for his waist while glaring at another man who was stepping off the coach, court records say.
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Nine years ago, Ashley Boyer was a recent Liberty High School graduate who woke up in an intensive care unit paralyzed from the waist up and unable to speak after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke.
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More than 40,000 people have fled their homes, some of which have been destroyed, as flood waters rose waist-high in some places.
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Growing up, Lopez said his primary exercises included running, up hills or with a tire tied to a rope around his waist.
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A $196 version with a higher waist and no center seam was produced in five colorways and, according to Boyarsky, the single style sold out and drove $200,000 in sales in one month.
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Push up bra Waist + legs + arms slimmed with a photoshop tool.
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The AntiGravity portion of the class flips guests upside-down, supported at the waist and hips by the hammock (called zero-compression inversions), which is meant to relieve pressure from the neck and spine and increase blood flow to the brain.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'waist'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of waist
Middle English wast; probably akin to Old English wæstm growth, weaxan to grow — more at wax
First Known Use: 14th century
Other Clothing Terms
WAIST Defined for English Language Learners
waist
playDefinition of waist for English Language Learners
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: the middle part of your body between the hips and chest or upper back that is usually narrower than the areas above and below it
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: the part of a piece of clothing that fits around your waist
WAIST Defined for Kids
waist
playDefinition of waist for Students
1 : the part of the body between the hips and chest or upper back
2 : the part of a garment that fits around a person's waist
Medical Dictionary
waist
playMedical Definition of waist
: the typically narrowed part of the body between the thorax and hips
Learn More about waist
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See words that rhyme with waist Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for waist Spanish Central: Translation of waist Nglish: Translation of waist for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of waist for Arabic speakers
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