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cross-legged

American  
[kraws-leg-id, -legd, kros-] / ˈkrɔsˈlɛg ɪd, -ˈlɛgd, ˈkrɒs- /

adjective

  1. having the legs crossed; having one leg placed across the other.


cross-legged British  
/ -ˈlɛɡd, ˈkrɒsˈlɛɡɪd /

adjective

  1. sitting with the legs bent and the knees pointing outwards

  2. standing or sitting with one leg crossed over the other

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of cross-legged

First recorded in 1520–30

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.

Say, for instance, a fluffy Sasquatch, or a crooner of a moon in pajamas singing an old-timey lullaby to all the little ones seated cross-legged on the floor.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

Sitting cross-legged on a red carpet, artist Mohammad Younes Qane uses an ultra-fine paintbrush to trace details such as a horse's mane or the beads of a necklace.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Finally, ian kicks off his sneakers, sits cross-legged on an office chair, cracks a can of yerba mate and presses play.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

The agent wrote that Huerta was yelling at and taunting officers and later sat cross-legged in front of a vehicle gate to the location where law enforcement authorities were serving a search warrant.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2025

She sat cross-legged on my bed, cradling the full glass of OJ.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

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