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.
Now my son toddles up to the bookshelf and casually knocks off Corduroy, The Cat in the Hat, This Pigeon Needs a Bath, Baby Beluga. Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026 The postulating began even before Cooper officially announced the appearance on the podcast, hinting at her next guest in a video standing in front of a bookshelf with Maas’ books. Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026 The images of a laundry hamper full of clothes, an unmade bed and a crowded bookshelf stop people in their tracks. Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026 Now the studio is adorned with custom artwork of his logo and a bookshelf’s worth of novelty mugs. Heather Bushman, IndyStar, 27 Feb. 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 12 Mar. 2026.

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