1
: a limb of an animal used especially for supporting the body and for walking: such as
a(1)
: one of the paired vertebrate limbs that in bipeds extend from the top of the thigh to the foot
(2)
: the part of such a limb between the knee and foot
b
: the back half of a hindquarter of a meat animal
c
: one of the rather generalized segmental appendages of an arthropod used in walking and crawling
2
a
: a pole or bar serving as a support or prop
the legs of a tripod
b
: a branch of a forked or jointed object
the legs of a compass
3
a
: the part of an article of clothing that covers the leg
b
: the part of the upper (as of a boot) that extends above the ankle
5
: a side of a right triangle that is not the hypotenuse
also
: a side of an isosceles triangle that is not the base
6
a
: the course and distance sailed by a boat on a single tack
b
: a portion of a trip : stage
c
: one section of a relay race
d
: one of several events or games necessary to be won to decide a competition
won the first two legs of horse racing's Triple Crown
7
: a branch or part of an object or system
8
legs plural
: long-term appeal or interest
a news story with legs
1
legal
2
legato
3
legislative; legislature
Synonyms
Examples of leg in a Sentence
Noun
He sat on a chair with his legs crossed.
He leaned against the wall with his legs spread so the police could search him.
She broke her leg in a skiing accident.
His legs gave way under him and he fell over.
We had chicken legs for dinner.
Would you like some more leg of lamb?
the legs of a table
a chair with a broken leg
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Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Debter, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
The man was wearing a Descendents T-shirt, the teenager a NOFX one; Mom was in the tattoo parlor upstairs, getting her leg inked with an image of a Doc Marten and an anarchy symbol.
—Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
In the first eight minutes of each half, when the starters’ legs weren’t so wobbly, the Aztecs outscored the Cougars 33-19.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2023
According to a press release, the last stop of the band’s remaining, 25-date leg of their The End of the Road Tour will stream exclusively on PPV.com so fans worldwide can tune into the concert in real-time, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023
Calling all bookworms: The Shelter Daybed is the best daybed to stretch your legs and sink in with a page-turning novel.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2023
The show was part of the latest international leg of the Eras Tour.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023
The pop star has added two more London dates — Aug. 19 and 20 — to the European leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 14 Nov. 2023
The North American leg will be launching on Dec. 13 in Brooklyn.
—Carita Rizzo, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023
Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023
Just like with any other tough cut of wild game, giving duck thighs and legs a full day on low heat will break down all the connective tissue, tendons, and even pull nutrients from the bones, while simultaneously rendering out fat and juices to make a satisfying, tender dish.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 17 Aug. 2023
Street dancing, leg warmers and headbands rule in this hip-hop musical.
—Sally Verrando, Dallas News, 31 July 2023
The glute bridge position will also give your core and legs an extra challenge.
—Brett Williams, Men's Health, 28 Feb. 2023
From 0 to 60 mph, the four-door was a scant 0.8 second lower than the two-door, and the four-door took only 0.3 second longer to leg a quarter-mile.
—Jean Lindamood, Car and Driver, 23 Mar. 2023
The Rangers' best skater in these playoffs netted his team-leading seventh goal to push the lead to 2-0, using his go-to leg kick before finishing through Raanta's legs.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, USA TODAY, 29 May 2022
Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 27 May 2022
Reverse the movement and extend your arm and leg back out.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 28 Feb. 2022
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Noun
Erica Cole, 27, who lost her leg in a car accident, created jeans, leggings and other clothing designed for those with prosthetics or who are in a wheelchair.
—Lauren Debter, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
The man was wearing a Descendents T-shirt, the teenager a NOFX one; Mom was in the tattoo parlor upstairs, getting her leg inked with an image of a Doc Marten and an anarchy symbol.
—Brett Martin, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023
In the first eight minutes of each half, when the starters’ legs weren’t so wobbly, the Aztecs outscored the Cougars 33-19.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2023
According to a press release, the last stop of the band’s remaining, 25-date leg of their The End of the Road Tour will stream exclusively on PPV.com so fans worldwide can tune into the concert in real-time, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023
Calling all bookworms: The Shelter Daybed is the best daybed to stretch your legs and sink in with a page-turning novel.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2023
The show was part of the latest international leg of the Eras Tour.
—Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023
The pop star has added two more London dates — Aug. 19 and 20 — to the European leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 14 Nov. 2023
The North American leg will be launching on Dec. 13 in Brooklyn.
—Carita Rizzo, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023
Verb
Bend the spider legs slightly and hook them into the cheesecloth.
—Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023
Just like with any other tough cut of wild game, giving duck thighs and legs a full day on low heat will break down all the connective tissue, tendons, and even pull nutrients from the bones, while simultaneously rendering out fat and juices to make a satisfying, tender dish.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 17 Aug. 2023
Street dancing, leg warmers and headbands rule in this hip-hop musical.
—Sally Verrando, Dallas News, 31 July 2023
The glute bridge position will also give your core and legs an extra challenge.
—Brett Williams, Men's Health, 28 Feb. 2023
From 0 to 60 mph, the four-door was a scant 0.8 second lower than the two-door, and the four-door took only 0.3 second longer to leg a quarter-mile.
—Jean Lindamood, Car and Driver, 23 Mar. 2023
The Rangers' best skater in these playoffs netted his team-leading seventh goal to push the lead to 2-0, using his go-to leg kick before finishing through Raanta's legs.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, USA TODAY, 29 May 2022
Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 27 May 2022
Reverse the movement and extend your arm and leg back out.
—Jenny McCoy, SELF, 28 Feb. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leg.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing leg
Dictionary Entries Near leg
Cite this Entry
“Leg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leg. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
leg
1 of 2 noun1
: a limb of an animal used especially for supporting the body and for walking and running
also
: the part of a leg of a vertebrate animal between the knee and the foot
2
: something resembling an animal leg in shape or use
legs of a table
3
: the part of an article of clothing that covers the leg
4
: a side of a right triangle that is not the hypotenuse
also
: a side of an isosceles triangle that is not the base
5
a
: a portion of a trip : stage
b
: one section of a relay race
leg
2 of 2 verb
legged; legging
: to use the legs in walking or especially in running
Medical Definition
leg
noun
: a limb of an animal used especially for supporting the body and for walking: as
a
: either of the two lower human limbs that extend from the top of the thigh to the foot and especially the part between the knee and the ankle
b
: any of the rather generalized segmental appendages of an arthropod used in walking and crawling
Legal Definition
leg
abbreviation1
legal
2
legislative, legislature
More from Merriam-Webster on leg
Nglish: Translation of leg for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of leg for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leg
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