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Today, the word midriff is likely to evoke a plummy tummy or some fab abs, but the “mid-torso” sense of midriff is relatively young, having bellied up to the bar of English usage only in the early 19th century. For most of its history, midriff has been used to refer to the diaphragm, the large flat muscle that separates the lungs from the stomach area (and contracts spasmodically when we hiccup). This diaphragm sense has been around for at least 1,000 years, with the earliest known uses of midriff—which comes from the Old English word hrif, meaning “womb” or “belly”—being found in manuscripts such as Bald’s Leechbook, a medical text that is believed to date back to the mid 10th century. To riff on the vernacular of the 21st century, that kind of lexical staying power is far from mid.
Examples of midriff in a Sentence
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2026
The actress flashed her toned midriff in a sheer blouse layered over a light pink tube top.
—Sarah Sotoodeh , Stephanie Giang-Paunon , Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
Jones dressed sportily for the occasion in a white zip-up, puffy athletic jacket with a short crop that showed off a bit of her midriff in between a long, white flowing skirt that gathered high in the front.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
However, the Think Like a Man actress’s version had a few key differences, thanks to a midriff-baring stomach cutout, as well as an orange tiger print top and a tan cheetah print skirt in contrast toKaavia’s bright blue tiger print bodice and light turquoise cheetah print skirt.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for midriff
Cite this Entry
“Midriff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midriff. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
midriff
noun
Medical Definition
midriff
noun
