How Do You Spell WAIST?

Pronunciation: [wˈe͡ɪst] (IPA)

The word waist is often misspelled as "waste." This confusion may arise because the two words have similar pronunciations. However, the spelling of the word "waist" is derived from the Old English word "wæst," which was pronounced like "wahst." In the International Phonetic Alphabet, the pronunciation of "waist" is transcribed as /weɪst/. The "ai" in the middle of the word represents the long "a" sound, while the "s" at the end is pronounced with a soft hissing sound.

WAIST Meaning and Definition

  1. Waist refers to the narrowest part of the human torso, located between the ribs and the hips. It is often considered as the region where the body bends when one leans to the side or forward. The waist is specifically the area of the body that typically exhibits an inward curve or indentation, creating an hourglass figure in women and a more V-shaped figure in men. It is a delineating landmark that separates the abdomen from the chest and hips, giving the torso a tapered appearance.

    In clothing, the waist is a crucial measurement for determining the size and fit of garments such as pants, skirts, and dresses. It is the circumference of this region that is usually measured to ensure proper sizing. Additionally, the waistline of a garment refers to the point where the waistband falls on the body, which can vary in style and placement depending on fashion trends.

    The term 'waist' can also be used metaphorically to describe a narrowing or constricting part of an object or area. For instance, in relation to geography, people may refer to the waist of a landmass, river, or other physical features, which delineates the narrowest section of that particular object.

    Overall, the waist is a significant anatomical landmark that defines one's body shape and plays a vital role in clothing sizing and fashion.

  2. The portion of the trunk between the ribs and the pelvis.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

  3. The smaller part of the trunk of the body between ribs and hips; the middle part of a body; the middle part of a ship.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for WAIST *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for WAIST

Etymology of WAIST

The word "waist" originated from the Old English word "wæst", which can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "*wēstuz". From there, it can be further connected to the Proto-Indo-European word "*ues-", meaning "to clothe" or "to cover". The sense of "waist" as the part of the human body between the chest and hips developed in Middle English around the 14th century, and the word has retained its meaning since then.

Idioms with the word WAIST

  • be dead from the waist down The idiom "be dead from the waist down" is used to describe someone who has lost interest or excitement in romance, sex, or physical intimacy. It implies a lack of passion, desire, or arousal in matters of the heart and can indicate emotional or sexual disinterest.

Similar spelling words for WAIST

Plural form of WAIST is WAISTS

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