waist

A waist is the middle part of your body where your upper and lower parts meet. It's the narrower section between your hips and ribcage.

When people talk about their clothes, you often hear them mention the waist. This can refer to the way a shirt or dress fits around this area - for example, "This blouse has an empire waist," which means it's loose and sits high up on the body. Sometimes, people will talk about cinching in at the waist with a belt or sash to create a more defined shape. You might hear someone say, "I like how this dress fits, but I wish it didn't have such a low waist - it makes me feel exposed." In fashion, designers use words like "waistline" and "natural waist" to describe the way their designs fit around the body.