hourglass figure
3
3.9
- noun
- /ˈaʊərˌɡlæs ˈfɪɡjər/
:
figura de reloj de arena
- An hourglass figure is not defined simply by having boobs, a waist, and hips.
- woman with an hourglass figure
- hourglass figure every woman wants
Examples
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Many fashion designers create styles that enhance the hourglass figure to celebrate feminine beauty.
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Models often strive for an ideal hourglass figure to meet industry beauty standards.
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Emma Peel with an hourglass figure.
Fiction book (1998) -
But even more hypnotic than her hourglass figure is the way she moves with it.
Blog text (5) -
Those were the measurements of her absolutely breathtaking hourglass figure.
Blog text (5) -
I prefer to view each woman as having her own particular shape that generally fits into the broader categories of the apple, pear, ruler, or hourglass figure.
Blog text (20) -
So from my understanding, a woman can be "skinny" or slender and still be curvy if she naturally has a curvier body type to begin with, such as a pear shape or an hourglass figure.
Blog text (20) -
Most women are not curvy the way Salma or Sofia Vergara are—very few women have an hourglass figure.
Blog text (19) -
Translation: "I love dresses that are cut close to the body and nip in the waist to create an hourglass figure, which is a timeless expression of chic sophistication and glamour," says Smith.
Blog text (18) -
She showcased her hourglass figure in a stunning evening gown at the gala.
Surface Forms
Morphology
hourglass + figure
The meaning is directly and predictably built from 'hourglass' (an object with a narrow middle and wider ends) + 'figure' (a bodily shape), so a learner who knows both words can infer a body shape resembling an hourglass. This metaphorical comparison is transparent and common across languages, making the expression accessible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Hourglass figure comes from the shape of an hourglass, which has a narrow middle and wide top and bottom. That's why we use hourglass figure to mean 'a body with a small waist and wider hips and bust'.