: the turned-down corner of a page especially of a book
dog-ear transitive verb

Examples of dog-ear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Romance readers are known to highlight, dog-ear and annotate their favorite romantic or erotic scenes. Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2025 Just picture trying—and failing—to dog-ear a page in a book with pointy, curved claws. Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dog-ear was in 1856

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Cite this Entry

“Dog-ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dog-ear. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

dog-ear

noun
ˈdȯ-ˌgi(ə)r
: the turned-down corner of a leaf of a book
dog-ear verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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