waist

== English == === Alternative forms === waste, wast (obsolete) === Etymology === Inherited from Middle English wast (“waist”), probably from Old English *wæst, *wǣst, *weaxt, *wæhst, from Proto-West Germanic *wahstu, from Proto-Germanic *wahstuz (“growth, development, stature, build”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weks- (“to multiply, increase”). Cognate with Middle English wacste (“growth, increase, might, power”), Middle High German wahst (“growth”), Danish vækst (“growth”), Swedish växt (“growth, development, size”), Icelandic vöxtur (“growth”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌷𐍃𐍄𐌿𐍃 (wahstus, “growth”). Related to Old English weaxan (“to grow, increase”). More at wax. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /weɪst/ Rhymes: -eɪst Homophone: waste (pane–pain merger) === Noun === waist (plural waists) (anatomy) The part of the body between the pelvis and the stomach. A part of a piece of clothing that covers the waist. The narrow connection between the thorax and abdomen in certain insects (e.g., bees, ants and wasps). The middle portion of the hull of a ship or the fuselage of an aircraft. (nautical) That part of the upper deck of a ship between the quarterdeck and the forecastle. The middle part of anything. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Japanese: ウエスト (uesuto) ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === Waist in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911) Waist on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === Waits, waits, Swati, Wasit == Gothic == === Romanization === waist romanization of 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍃𐍄 == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === ==== Noun ==== waist alternative form of wast (“waste (noun)”) === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== waist alternative form of wast (“waist”) === Etymology 3 === ==== Verb ==== waist alternative form of wasten == Scots == === Etymology === Inherited from Middle English wast (“waist”), probably from Old English *wæst, *wæxt, from Proto-West Germanic *wahstī, from Proto-Germanic *wahstuz. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /west/ (Doric Scots) IPA(key): /wəist/ === Noun === waist (plural waists) waist