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:
A 17-year-old jumper, according to social media footage, struck the ledge with his backside and crashed into the water.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Borrow a few inches from the precarious ledge beside the table.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
"We have a great country. We have a country that is under a little bit of a ledge right now," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Twelve-year-old Nico Antic had been jumping off a rock ledge with friends on 18 January when he was attacked by what authorities suspected was a bull shark.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
Pigeons all clustered up on a ledge clucking away like only pigeons can, but the noise continued even after I opened my eyes in the darkness of night.
From "Worth" by A. LaFaye
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
In the covered outdoor corridors, Irhil and the other families have appropriated the space, setting up planters on ledges, a dish-washing station in a classroom sink, and clotheslines between the columns.
From Barron's ● Nov. 20, 2025
Weeds poked up from neglected garden beds and dozens of orange sandbags sat on ledges and columns, for no apparent reason.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025
One panel would have required ancient artists to climb and work precariously on narrow ledges, underscoring the sheer effort and significance of the imagery.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2025
Mariam saw no smokers on the streets, no cups of tea steaming from window ledges.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
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
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
It is used for nailing on framing to form partitions for rooms, offices, etc., for panelling corridors, etc., and for making framed and ledged doors, building tool houses, cycle sheds and other outhouses.
From Woodwork Joints How they are Set Out, How Made and Where Used. by William Fairham
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
We ran 300 yards down the road to find a ledging, overhead shelf throwing onto a shallow rock bed.
From Time Magazine Archive
Dee Why-The critical, sucking, ledging point break anchors Sydney's northern beaches.
From Time Magazine Archive
Each section is completely different from the others, from mushy open faces to ledging closeout barrels.
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
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
