hourglass

[ ouuh r-glas, -glahs, ou-er- ]
/ ˈaʊərˌglæs, -ˌglɑs, ˈaʊ ər- /

noun

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

having a notably slim or narrow waist, midsection, or joining segment: She has an hourglass figure.

Origin of hourglass

First recorded in 1505–15; hour + glass

Example sentences from the Web for hourglass

British Dictionary definitions for hourglass

hourglass
/ (ˈaʊəˌɡlɑːs) /

noun

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
(modifier) well-proportioned with a small waist an hourglass figure