bridge

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈbrij 

1

a

: a structure carrying a pathway or roadway over a depression or obstacle (such as a river)

a bridge connecting the island to the mainland

b

: a time, place, or means of connection or transition

building a bridge between the two cultures

the bridge from war to peace

2

: something resembling a bridge in form or function: such as

a

: the upper bony part of the nose

broke the bridge of his nose

also : the part of a pair of glasses that rests upon it

b

music : a piece raising the strings of a musical instrument see violin illustration

c

nautical : the forward part of a ship's superstructure (see superstructure sense 2b) from which the ship is navigated

d

railroads : gantry sense 2b

e

billiards : the hand as a rest for a cue

also : a device used as a cue rest

3

a

music : a passage linking two sections of a composition

b

dentistry : a partial denture anchored to adjacent teeth

c

chemistry : a connection (such as an atom or group of atoms) that joins two different parts of a molecule (such as opposite sides of a ring)

4

physics : an electrical instrument or network for measuring or comparing resistances (see resistance entry 1 sense 4a), inductances, capacitances, or impedances by comparing the ratio of two opposing voltages to a known ratio

bridgeless

ˈbrij-ləs 

adjective

see also:

burn one's bridges

Illustration of bridge

• 1 beam
• 2 truss
• 3 arch
• 4 suspension
• 5 cable-stayed

bridge

2 of 3

verb

bridged; bridging

transitive verb

1

: to make a bridge (see bridge entry 1) over or across

bridging a river

bridge the divisions between the two groups

bridge the generation gap

also : to join by a bridge

2

: to provide with a bridge

small bridged streams

bridgeable

ˈbri-jə-bəl 

adjective

bridge

3 of 3

noun (2)

card games : any of various card games for usually four players in two partnerships that bid for the right to declare a trump suit, seek to win tricks (see trick entry 1 sense 4) equal to the final bid, and play with the hand of declarer's partner exposed and played by declarer

especially : contract bridge

Examples of bridge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Medicare has started coverage of GLP-1s for older adults under the bridge program, but some employers and insurers are balking at paying for the weight-loss medications. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

The report says the bridge’s own dead load makes up over 90 percent of the total stress, and the concrete around the steel framework is more than half of that weight. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026

Verb

From this unique vantage point, these characters can bridge divides, see all sides, find new paths forward, and recall multiple histories long forgotten. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026

The infectious track — released in May, just two months before the month-long soccer tournament kicked off — laces Afrobeats with dance-pop, world beats and reggaetón, bridging the musical worlds of the Nigerian star and Colombian sensation. — Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English brigge, from Old English brycg; akin to Old High German brucka bridge, Old Church Slavic brŭvŭno beam

Verb

Middle English briggen, going back to Old English brycgian, noun derivative of brycg bridge entry 1

Noun (2)

alteration of earlier biritch, of unknown origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1886, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bridge

• auction bridge
• bridge loan
• bridge the gap
• build a bridge
• cantilever bridge
• contract bridge
• covered bridge
• cross that bridge when one comes to it
• duplicate bridge
• flying bridge
• natural bridge
• pontoon bridge
• railroad bridge
• rubber bridge
• suspension bridge
• swing bridge
• truss bridge
• water under the bridge
• Wheatstone bridge

Rhymes for bridge

• fridge
• midge
• ridge
• abridge
• drawbridge
• footbridge
• oxbridge

Kids Definition

bridge

1 of 3 noun

ˈbrij 

1

: a structure built over something (as a river or a railroad) so people can cross

2

: a platform above and across the deck of a ship for the captain or officer in charge

3

a

: something resembling a bridge (as the upper part of the nose)

b

: music that connects the sections of a song or composition

4

: a curved piece that raises the strings of a musical instrument

5

: an artificial replacement for one or more teeth that is fastened to the remaining nearby teeth

bridge

2 of 3 verb

bridged; bridging

: to make a bridge over or across

bridge a gap

bridgeable

-ə-bəl 

adjective

bridge

3 of 3 noun

: a card game for four players in two teams

Etymology

Noun

Old English brycg "bridge"

Noun

origin unknown

Medical Definition

bridge

noun

ˈbrij 

1

a

: the upper bony part of the nose

b

: the curved part of a pair of glasses that rests upon this part of the nose

2

a

: pons

b

: a strand of protoplasm extending between two cells

c

: a partial denture held in place by anchorage to adjacent teeth

d

: a connection (as an atom or group of atoms) that joins two different parts of a molecule (as opposite sides of a ring)

e

: an area of physical continuity between two chromatids persisting during the later phases of mitosis and constituting a possible source of somatic genetic change