ledge

noun

ˈlej 

1

: a raised or projecting edge or molding intended to protect or check

a window ledge

2

: an underwater ridge or reef especially near the shore

3

a

: a narrow flat surface or shelf

especially : one that projects from a wall of rock

We rappelled down the cliff and reached the ledge.

b

: rock that is solid or continuous enough to form ledges : bedrock

the field was full of ledge

4

: lode, vein

ledgy

ˈle-jē 

adjective

Examples of ledge in a Sentence

birds perched on the ledge of a building

a ledge on the side of the mountain

Recent Examples on the Web

Or, that some of those same city employees would set up web cameras so that hundreds of residents could watch the baby falcons grow up in their nest on a ledge outside City Hall. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

Riders reinterpret familiar features—stairs, rails, curbs and ledges—with technical precision, creativity and persistence, often spending hours or even days working toward a single trick. — Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue said that the climber came to a rest on a narrow ledge and was at risk for a secondary fall. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026

Beyond the ledge, the trail settles into a moderate, gradual course at the base of the towering Garden Wall. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English legge bar of a gate

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ledge

• dredge
• edge
• hedge
• pledge
• sedge
• sledge
• wedge
• allege
• straightedge

Kids Definition

ledge

noun

ˈlej 

1

: a projecting ridge or raised edge along a surface

2

: an underwater ridge or reef especially near the shore

3

: a narrow flat surface or shelf

especially : one that sticks out from a wall of rock