loin
UK[lɔɪn]US[lɔɪn]
n
The part of the body on both sides of the spine between the ribs and the hips.
n
A cut of meat from this part of an animal.
Etymology
The word 'loin' entered English in the 14th century from the Old French 'loigne', which itself derived from the Latin 'lumbus', meaning 'loin'. The Latin term is traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root lendh-, which referred to the loin or kidney area. This direct lineage shows a stable semantic path from the ancient anatomical term to its modern English usage, specifically denoting the lower back region of the body and, by extension, the meat cut from that area. The word's form simplified as it passed through French, losing the Latin suffix and becoming a monomorphemic unit in English.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword from Old French, ultimately of Latin origin. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
He felt a sharp pain in his loin after lifting the heavy box.
The recipe calls for a loin of pork to be roasted with herbs.
Gird up your loins and prepare for the difficult task ahead.