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bookshelf

American  
[book-shelf] / ˈbʊkˌʃɛlf /

noun

  • bookshelves
    plural
  1. a shelf for holding books, especially one of several shelves in a bookcase.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


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:


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:

"It will be up to each individual to decide what place to give it on their bookshelf."

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

A neighbor took a photo of her bookshelf, connected Google Sheets to Muse and asked it to add each title to the sheet’s book list.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

Now the child has her own bookshelf in their shared household - "and one whole shelf is for her Dolly books".

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

The “living room” was furnished with what appeared to be a bookshelf, plants, a coffee table, an armchair, a desk chair and even paintings on the walls.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

“You won’t like it,” the woman said, now hurrying to the nearest bookshelf.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

The striking sculpture will hover over a cozy space with modular bookshelves that are arranged on a floor covered in book quotes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

The unit features hardwood floors and built-in bookshelves and storage.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

What was it about O’Rourke’s bulging bookshelves that got Kilmeade so shirty?

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

“In fact,” he says, “I’m a lot more proud of these seven new bookshelves that I had to get installed to hold the 2,000 new books that I bought.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

Our rugs and tables and bookshelves and Papa’s desk and most of the stuff in the kitchen except for a few pots and pans and dry food are staying behind.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani

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