What Does Loin Mean?

Loin refers to the region of the body associated with the lumbar portions of the vertebrae column. This may be either side of the backbone between the hipbone and the ribs in humans as well as animals. It is that area situated between the side of the abdomen between the lowest rib and the top of the buttocks. A person suffering from loin pain may have kidney disorders. Loins are the plural form of loin. They are regarded as the seat of physical strength and generative power. Thus loins also refer to the genitalia or the reproductive organs.

Loin also means a cut of meat taken from the side and back of an animal between the ribs and the rump. This is a part that is widely sought after by meat eaters. They typically include the vertebrae of the segment from which it is taken. Thus the loin is a tender cut that can be butchered into chops, steaks and roasts.