Waist Definition

wāst

noun

The narrow part of any object that is wider at the ends.

The waist of a violin.

Webster's New World

The part of the body between the ribs and the hips.

Webster's New World

The middle section of the fuselage of an airplane, esp. a bomber.

Webster's New World

The central section of a ship between the forecastle and the quarterdeck.

Webster's New World

The narrow part of the front of the abdomen of certain insects, as ants or wasps.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Waist

Singular:

waist

Plural:

waists

From Middle English waste, wast (“stature, waist"), from Old English *wÇ£st, *wÇ£xt, from Proto-Germanic *wahstuz (“growth, development, stature, build"), from Proto-Indo-European *hâ‚‚weg-s- (“to multiply, increase"). Cognate with Middle High German wahst (“growth"), Danish vækst (“growth"), Swedish växt (“growth, development, size"), Icelandic vöxtur (“growth"), Gothic [script?] (wahstus, “growth"). Related to Old English weaxan (“to grow, increase"). More at wax.

From Wiktionary
Middle English wast perhaps from Old English wæst growth, size aug- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition