ledge

noun

1
: a raised or projecting edge or molding intended to protect or check
a window ledge
2
: an underwater ridge or reef especially near the shore
3
a
: a narrow flat surface or shelf
especially : one that projects from a wall of rock
We rappelled down the cliff and reached the ledge.
b
: rock that is solid or continuous enough to form ledges : bedrock
the field was full of ledge
4
: lode, vein
ledgy adjective

Examples of ledge in a Sentence

birds perched on the ledge of a building a ledge on the side of the mountain
Recent Examples on the Web There is an indent in the ledge near Prince Louis' hand. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Install floating picture ledges for an over-the-toilet storage idea, and add your favorite art, photos, and small accessories. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 In the self-portrait series, Ahn sat on roof corners and building ledges, sometimes showing her whole body perched on the edge; in others, just her legs and feet are visible above the straight vertical drop below. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 He was given snowshoes and poles to navigate the remaining ledges, and was then taken out by snowmobile, reaching Mammoth’s main lodge around 10:30 p.m. Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2024 But they have also been known to hang out in cities, where terraces, windowsills and rooftops resemble the cliff ledges they are used to. Ed Shanahan, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 Rescuers used the rope system to bring the hiker down the side of a rocky ledge. Jacob Factor, The Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2024 Four rescuers who climbed to a ledge above the man directed him to a ramp under a steep face. Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 13 Feb. 2024 Traveling by canoe, adventurers will see 10 ledges that historians have determined were staging areas for Mayan rituals, including fertility rites and human sacrifice. Kaye Toal, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ledge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English legge bar of a gate

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ledge was in 1535

Dictionary Entries Near ledge

Cite this Entry

“Ledge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ledge. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ledge

noun
1
: a projecting ridge or raised edge along a surface
2
: an underwater ridge or reef especially near the shore
3
: a narrow flat surface or shelf
especially : one that sticks out from a wall of rock

More from Merriam-Webster on ledge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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