ledge
Americannoun
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ledges
plural
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a relatively narrow, projecting part, as a horizontal, shelflike projection on a wall or a raised edge on a tray.
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a more or less flat shelf of rock protruding from a cliff or slope.
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a reef, ridge, or line of rocks in the sea or other body of water.
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Mining.
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a layer or mass of rock underground.
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a lode or vein.
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Carpentry. a member similar to but larger than a cleat.
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Shipbuilding. a minor transverse deck beam running between regular deck beams to form part of a coaming.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a narrow horizontal surface resembling a shelf and projecting from a wall, window, etc
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a layer of rock that contains an ore; vein
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a ridge of rock that lies beneath the surface of the sea
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a narrow shelflike rock projection on a cliff or mountain
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ledge
1300–50; Middle English legge, perhaps derivative of leggen to lay 1; compare Middle High German legge layer, edge, Old English lecg part of a weapon
Explanation
A ledge is a flat, narrow surface or shelf. As you climb a steep mountain, you might find a flat spot sticking out from the cliff — that's an example of a ledge. The word ledge comes from the Old English lædge, which means "a shelf or projection." A ledge can appear in many places, from natural rock formations to man-made structures like buildings and bridges. Windows usually have ledges, and people may display artwork and knickknacks on wall ledges in their homes. Underwater ledges may be formed by reefs or a line of submerged rocks.
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.
See Examples For:
“Between the homes, a freeform pool curves through natural rock, hiding a grotto and a slide, with a shallow ledge for lounging and an elevated spa,” according to the listing.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
"I didn't want her to feel intimated and, within a few minutes, she popped up onto the window ledge on her side so she could get closer to us."
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
Soon after Cindy’s feeder made its debut, a raccoon arrived, made himself at home on the ledge, and helped himself to some sunflower seeds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Borrow a few inches from the precarious ledge beside the table.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
Van Ness claimed to have revisited the ledge the following day and found the severed branch of a cedar tree about twelve feet high and four feet to the side of where Burr had stood.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
The council has asked businesses in the town's centre to consider putting spikes and other deterrents on their building's front ledges.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
"Cracks have appeared, elements such as ledges, rubble and walls have fallen and damage has been reported in some buildings," Andalusian emergency services said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Santa Monica resident Rojia Shahsavani said she witnessed three boys taking selfies and sitting on the open window ledges of a white Waymo that traveled from Santa Monica into West L.A. last Friday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
And instead of nailing my art to the walls, I had multiple ledges installed that allow me to move pieces around.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026
He had seen the island from the far ledges, standing with his father and Sheriff Elwell and Deacon Hurd and everyone else important in the town.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
Black bass are good with several ten plus pound fish happening every week found in creek beds, points, and ledged drops.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 22, 2020
The road came gently winding up to us, from what was evidently two villages ledged one above the other upon the steep summit of the south slope.
From Sea and Sardinia by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence
"Whatever it may pretend to mean, what it is is a silly absurd toy-lamb with a Christmas-tree flag ledged on its paw—and if it wants to mean anything else, it must look different from that."
From The Rainbow by D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence
Of its dimensions but little idea can be had; enough that it was a roomy, roughened interior, with ledged and broken walls and floor.
From Ben-Hur; a tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace
Promenaders promenaded in and out of the corridor, and up and down the corridor, and nobody troubled to glance twice either at the heavy-lipped, solitary girl or at the ledged couples.
From The Roll-Call by Arnold Bennett
Dee Why-The critical, sucking, ledging point break anchors Sydney's northern beaches.
From Time Magazine Archive
Breaks best: May-September Type of wave: A surreal, ledging left that looks more like an avalanche or a tidal wave than anything you'd think was surfable.
From Time Magazine Archive
We ran 300 yards down the road to find a ledging, overhead shelf throwing onto a shallow rock bed.
From Time Magazine Archive
Each section is completely different from the others, from mushy open faces to ledging closeout barrels.
From Time Magazine Archive
There was a small ledging or bar on this hatch to rest the tankards on.
From A Collection of College Words and Customs by Benjamin Homer Hall
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