bookshelf

American

[book-shelf] / ˈbʊkˌʃɛlf /

noun

plural

bookshelves

a shelf for holding books, especially one of several shelves in a bookcase.

Etymology

Origin of bookshelf

First recorded in 1810–20; book + shelf

Compare meaning

How does bookshelf compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

bookshelf vs. bookcase

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The framed photo of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta sits in my personal office on a bookshelf crammed with volumes about California and the American West.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

I helped organize his bookshelf when he moved into that old folks home.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

But among my new items is a large bookshelf.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

But he only realised what it contained during a recent tidy-up of his bookshelf.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2025

Behind his desk, a bookshelf displays artifacts and gifts people have given him during his travels around the world.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023