hourglass

1 of 2

noun

hour·​glass ˈau̇(-ə)r-ˌglas How to pronounce hourglass (audio)
: an instrument for measuring time consisting of a glass vessel having two compartments from the upper of which a quantity of usually sand runs in an hour into the lower one

Illustration of hourglass

Illustration of hourglass

hourglass

2 of 2

adjective

: shaped like an hourglass
an hourglass figure

Examples of hourglass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Brazilian Butt Lift is a cosmetic surgery that enhances a woman’s body shape to create an hourglass figure overnight. Celeste Polanco, Essence, 15 Mar. 2024 With plenty of time remaining in the challenge hourglass, Jelinsky quit and threw the hourglass in defeat. Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 The sand is running out in his collegiate hourglass, with only a handful of games remaining for the fifth-year senior. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Feb. 2024 The face is also adorned with the skull emblem from the video announcing the band’s return and an hourglass that symbolizes the passage of time. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024 Like sands through the hourglass… Steve Burton’s time on Days of Our Lives has run out. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 4 Jan. 2024 Following consecutive losses in the week before the trade deadline, James tweeted an hourglass emoji. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Like sands through the hourglass ... 'Days of Our Lives' is only getting better with time! Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024 Chabert had a petite, five-foot- two, hourglass figure. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2024
Adjective
And yet, her body, designed by a man, had a waist equivalent to 18 inches on a real woman; an impossibly thin figure made even more so by her zaftig 39-inch bust and 33-inch hourglass hip measurement. Kate Branch, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2018 Her bright blouse and pants clung to her thick, hourglass figure. Aya De Leon, The Root, 22 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hourglass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1515, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hourglass was circa 1515

Dictionary Entries Near hourglass

Cite this Entry

“Hourglass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hourglass. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hourglass

noun
hour·​glass
ˈȧu(ə)r-ˌglas
: an instrument for measuring time in which usually sand runs from the upper part to the lower part of a glass container in an hour
hourglass adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hourglass

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