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 space is littered with touches of the character’s private life, pictures of her and her sisters dotting the refrigerator and bookshelves. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025 Branstetter was primarily a woodworker, making bookshelves, desks and tables in the back and selling them up front alongside the Muzingo’s tie-dye shirts and jewelry. David Hudnall, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025 The bookshelves that previously had framed the pair have gone, giving the space a more open feel. Dave Quinn, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Small details from the furniture were also reproduced in some details of the store, like an encased wood-and-metal bookshelf that replicates the double fluted wood seen in the new collection. Morgan Meier, Curbed, 14 Apr. 2025 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 5 May. 2025.

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