mid-section

IPA/mˈɪdsˈɛkʃən/
IPA/mˈɪdsˈɛkʃən/

mid-section — noun

1. the area halfway along an object or structure, between one end and the other

1.nounB2
Definition

the area halfway along an object or structure, between one end and the other

Example

Engineers found a crack in the bridge's mid-section after the storm.

damage in the mid-section of a structure

The illustrator left the poster's mid-section empty for the concert schedule.

the mid-section of + object

Common collocations
  • the bridge's mid-section
  • the plane's mid-section
  • damage to the mid-section
  • the mid-section of the poster
Synonyms
  • middle

    broader everyday word that can describe places, times, or parts

  • center

    often suggests a more exact central point or area

  • middle part

    plain descriptive phrase with less technical tone

Antonyms
  • end

    the part at either outer limit instead of the middle

  • edge

    the outside border rather than the central stretch

Grammar Patterns

the mid-section of + object

damage in/to + the mid-section

Usage Note

Usually followed by 'of' or a possessive when naming the larger object. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense can describe any object or structure, not a person's body.

Common Mistakes

Mark the mid-section at exactly 50 centimetres.
Mark the center at exactly 50 centimetres.
'mid-section' usually means a broader middle area, not one exact point.

2. the part of the body around a person's waist and stomach

2.nounB2
Definition

the part of the body around a person's waist and stomach

Example

The seat belt tightened across Omar's mid-section when the bus stopped suddenly.

across + someone's mid-section

After the workout, Nila felt soreness in her mid-section the next morning.

soreness in + the mid-section

Common collocations
  • around the mid-section
  • across the mid-section
  • protect the mid-section
  • pain in the mid-section
Synonyms
  • waist

    narrower term for the body's middle line rather than the whole front area

  • midriff

    more specific to the front of the body, especially between chest and waist

  • abdomen

    more formal and medical, focusing on the stomach area

Grammar Patterns

around/across + someone's mid-section

pain in + the mid-section

Usage Note

Often used when talking about exercise, injury, clothing, or where something hits the body. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers only to a person's waist-and-stomach area.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, mid-section usually describes a visible stretch in the middle of a longer object, such as a bridge, plane, or bottle. Middle is the broad everyday choice and can refer to time, place, or part. Center often suggests a more exact central area and is especially common in American English. Midpoint is more exact still, often used for measurements, routes, or schedules. Core means the inner central part, not simply the area halfway between two ends. If you are describing a person's body, English usually switches to sense 2 or uses a word such as waist or midriff instead.

middle ↗center ↗midpoint ↗core ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinFrenchEnglish

Mid-section was formed in English by joining mid, meaning the middle, with section, meaning a part cut or divided from a whole. The first element goes back to Old English, while section came into English through French from Latin. Together they make a transparent compound for the part halfway between two ends, and the same pattern later came to be used for the waist area of the body.