Waisters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Pieces of clothing designed to cover and shape the waist area, often worn as corsets or girdles ; individuals who avoid or lack sufficient food, especially children suffering from malnutrition and wasting away
2. Articles worn tightly around the midsection to enhance or alter body shape, typically used in fashion or support ; persons who suffer from extreme thinness due to inadequate nutrition, leading to physical wasting
3. Garments that encircle the waist for shaping or support purposes, frequently used in historical or formal attire ; people reduced to emaciated condition, especially from starvation or illness causing severe weight loss

Etymology: "Waisters" is the plural of "waister", which is formed from "waist" with the suffix "-er". The base word "waist" goes back to Middle English, where it meant the narrow part of the body between the ribs and hips, and the suffix turns it into a noun for something or someone associated with that part of the body. The plural form therefore covers both senses in the meaning: garments cinched at the midsection, and people whose bodies have wasted to the point that their waists look stripped of flesh.

Synonyms: belts, corsets, waistbands, girdles, sashes