English Reference
Noun

torso

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈtɔɹˌsoʊ/ UK /tˈɔːsəʊ/ tor·so UK spelling torsos Anatomy

n.the main part of your body, not including your head, arms, or legs.

n.the trunk of the human body, excluding the head and limbs.


SIMPLE

He wears a tight shirt that shows off his muscular torso.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete focused on exercises that strengthen the muscles of the torso to improve his overall balance.

COMPLEX

The marble statue was discovered in several pieces, but the central torso remained remarkably intact, showing the detailed musculature favored by classical sculptors.

Usage

Commonly used in both medical contexts and when describing physical fitness or art.


From Italian torso, from Late Latin tursus, from Latin thyrsus, from Ancient Greek θύρσος (thúrsos, “Bacchic staff”). Doublet of thyrse, thyrsus, and torse.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Ancient Greek θύρσος
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated