English · Idiom Historical

the small of the back

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

The slenderer narrower part, just above the buttocks.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “the small of the back” mean?

The slenderer narrower part, just above the buttocks.

Is “the small of the back” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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