hourglass

[ ouuhr-glas, -glahs, ou-er- ]

noun

1. an instrument for measuring time, consisting of two bulbs of glass joined by a narrow passage through which a quantity of sand or mercury runs in just an hour.

adjective

1. having a notably slim or narrow waist, midsection, or joining segment:

   She has an hourglass figure.

hourglass

/ ˈaʊəˌɡlɑːs /

noun

1. a device consisting of two transparent chambers linked by a narrow channel, containing a quantity of sand that takes a specified time to trickle to one chamber from the other
2. modifier well-proportioned with a small waist

   an hourglass figure

Word History and Origins

Origin of hourglass¹

First recorded in 1505–15; hour + glass

Example Sentences

And yet, it still feels like play to pull out my Dior Lip Glow as my friend reapplies her Hourglass Glossy Lip Balm, pretending to care more about the color than the happy fact that we’re conversing about it.

From Los Angeles Times

Both have hourglass markings, but the black widow’s is bright red, while the brown widow’s is orange.

From Los Angeles Times

“The hourglass sand bag complemented the sand-treated dress and was the icing on the cake, not to mention the theatrics of her ‘walk’ on the carpet.”

From Seattle Times

“Some guests, like Doja Cat, took a more conceptual route for the theme, where she chose to wear a wet white T-shirt gown by Vetements since cotton is the world’s most popular and picked flower. Tyla also played around with the theme, opting for a sandy body cast gown by Balmain, leaning into the concept of time and turning herself into a stunning human hourglass,” she added.

From Seattle Times

After a so-so January ended with the Lakers getting blown out on back-to-back nights in Houston and Atlanta, James posted an hourglass emoji on social media, a reminder that his patience was waning.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• timer