bookshelf

noun

book·​shelf ˈbu̇k-ˌshelf How to pronounce bookshelf (audio)
: an open shelf for holding books

Examples of bookshelf 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.
The memoir hits bookshelves in November. Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026 Multiple copies of Howl, Kaddish, and assembled collections of complete verse lined (and still line) my bookshelves. Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 Elsewhere, in In the Quadrant of Primary Characteristics, fist-size pieces of wood in assorted colors (painted by the artist) rest on bookshelves painted dark green (presented as found). Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026 Then again, the bedroom with a secret bookshelf door is a close second. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bookshelf

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bookshelf was in 1648

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Cite this Entry

“Bookshelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bookshelf. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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