waist English · revision 10812

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1350|origins=ang *wæst}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /weɪst/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Middle English wast is a word of uncertain origin,^(Etymonline) possibly from Old English [[m|ang|*wæst|t=growth, size]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) related to wæstm, growth, and cognate with Old Norse vǫxtr and Gothic wahstus, growth, stature,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) all from the root of [[wax]], to grow.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) The OED compares French taille, where “waist” seems to have developed from “size of the body”.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The middle part of the body between the chest and hips: probably 1350–75 in Barnhart, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The part of a garment covering the waist is also from the late 14th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) 1650 in the OED,^(OED 1989) and a girdle from 1550, now obsolete.^(OED 1989) The middle part of a ship is from the 15th century,^(Hoad 1986) and the narrow middle part of anything from 1612.^(OED 1989) ''Waistcoat'' is from 1519, ''waistband'' from 1584 and ''waistline'' from 1897.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – the middle of the body.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 15th century – the middle of a ship.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1519 – waistcoat.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1612 – a narrow middle part.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1897 – waistline.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The narrow part of the body between the ribs and the [[hip|alt=hips]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The part of a garment that covers the waist.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The narrow middle part of something, such as a violin or a ship.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[waistless]]

+ * [[waisted]]

+ * [[pantywaist]]

+ * [[shirtwaist]]

+ * [[waist-deep]]

+ * [[waist-high]]

+ * [[waistband]]

+ * [[waistcloth]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wax]]

+ * [[waistcoat]]

+ * [[waistline]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}