waistline
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /wˈeɪslaɪn/
US
- /ˈweɪstˌlaɪn/
Description
- The narrowest part of the torso
- area between the ribs and hips
- line around the middle of the body
- clothing fit measurement
- sign of physical health
Your waistline is the part of your body where your torso narrows between your ribs and hips. It is the line around your middle that people notice when talking about body shape, how clothes fit, or changes in size. In everyday life, someone might mention a shrinking waistline after exercise or a larger waistline after months of sitting too much. The word often appears in talks about health, fitness, and fashion, and it usually points to the body's middle in a very practical, visual way.
The term "waistline" refers primarily to the narrowest part of the human torso, usually found between the ribcage and the hips. It can mean both the physical shape of that area and the line around the body at that level. Because of that, the word is common when people talk about appearance, body shape, and how clothing fits around the middle. A dress may highlight the waistline, or a pair of trousers may sit at a certain waistline level.
The word is also important in health contexts. A person's waistline is often discussed when looking at weight gain, weight loss, or fat carried around the stomach area. Doctors and health experts may pay attention to measurements around the waistline because they can help show possible health risks, especially when used together with other information.
In clothing, the word can also refer to the part of a garment that sits at or follows the waist. For example, a designer might describe a dress with a raised waistline or praise a coat for having a clean, well-shaped waistline. In these cases, the word still connects back to the body's middle, but it is being used to describe the cut or shape of the clothing.
So, whether the subject is body shape, clothing, or health, "waistline" is a useful word for the middle part of the body and for the way that area is measured, seen, or described.
Examples
- 1
Dress tailoring
The tailor raised the waistline of the dress to give it a different shape.
- 2
Clothing fit
These trousers have a higher waistline than the pair I bought last year.
- 3
Weight gain
Since he started working from home, his waistline has slowly expanded.
- 4
Dieting
She's trying to watch her waistline, so she usually skips dessert.
Phrase
watch your waistline
try not to gain weight
- 5
Eating habits
Those late-night snacks are great for comfort but not for the waistline.
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- waistlinenoun
Forms
- waistlinespluralnoun