Loin
/lɔɪn/noun
The part of the body on either side of the spine between the lower ribs and the pelvis.
Did you know?English inherited *loin* through French from Latin *lumbus*, a word tied to the vulnerable lower back where ancient cultures located strength, fertility, and shame.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*lemb-
“A root associated with the loins or lower back”
Latin
Latin
lumbus
“The loin, lower back, or flank”
Late Latin
Latin
lumbum
“The loins”
Old French
Old French
loigne
“The loin, flank”
Middle English
English
loyn / loyne
“The loin or lower part of the body”
Modern English
English
loin
“The part of the body between the ribs and hips”