half size

American

noun

any size in women's garments designated by a fractional number from 12½ through 24½, designed for a short-waisted, full figure.

half-size British

noun

any size, esp in clothing, that is halfway between two sizes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Important note: The shoes run large, so order a half size down.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

The half size portion includes a sizable amount of neck meat, which is a fully hands-on experience for anyone up for it, but there’s also plenty of boneless slabs for the taking.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 30, 2022

“I make half size ones for dorm rooms. They are eye-catching.”

From Washington Times • Jul. 19, 2014

He never wore ties or turtlenecks and always bought shoes a half size too big.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 1, 2012

Neither stymied nor frustrated, the owl’s eyes grew a half size bigger and she let out a squeak of excitement.

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023