cross-legged

adverb or adjective

ˈkrȯs-ˌle-gəd How to pronounce cross-legged (audio)
-ˌlā-;
-ˌlegd How to pronounce cross-legged (audio)
-ˌlāgd
1
: with legs crossed and knees spread wide apart
2
: with one leg placed over and across the other

Examples of cross-legged 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.
On exam day, students pack into Cameron Indoor Stadium, sitting cross-legged on the hardwood court. Storey Wertheimer, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026 The gym was so crowded that fans were three-deep on the baselines and children sat cross-legged in front of the bleachers. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026 In one extreme test involving a wide step and cross-legged maneuver, Cassie failed to recover. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Feb. 2026 As soon as we were settled as a group, a few of us on the bed, a few cross-legged on the carpet, Rosie swore us to secrecy and showed us her pack of birth-control pills, from which three were missing. Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cross-legged

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cross-legged was circa 1530

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cross-legged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross-legged. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

cross-legged

adverb
ˈkrȯ-ˈsleg(-ə)d
: with the legs crossed and the knees spread wide
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster