ridge

1 of 2

noun

1
: an elevated body part or structure
2
a
: a range of hills or mountains
b
: an elongate elevation on an ocean bottom
3
: an elongate crest or a linear series of crests
4
: a raised strip (as of plowed ground)
5
: the line of intersection at the top between the opposite slopes or sides of a roof
ridged adjective

ridge

2 of 2

verb

ridged; ridging

transitive verb

: to form into a ridge

intransitive verb

: to extend in ridges

Examples of ridge in a Sentence

Noun We hiked along the ridge. the ridges on the sole of a boot the ridge of a roof
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Gusts could range from 25 to 55 mph in the slopes, and can sweep at speeds up to 140 mph in the ridges. Angela Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024 This storm could see wind gusts on ridge tops exceed 100 mph, forecasters warned—and snow is expected to fall at a rate of 1-3 inches per hour starting this morning and throughout the weekend. Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 But as adventure tourism continues its boom, the mountain’s snowy slopes and ridges are increasingly piling up with human feces and other waste. Colleen Grablick, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024 In the southeast of the island, the ridge coincides with a searing hot column of molten rock, known as a hot spot, which drives even more volcanic fury. Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Feb. 2024 The orange represents filaments of doubly ionized sulfur gas; the yellow-white ridges contain particles of dust. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 8 Feb. 2024 The trail leads into even higher bluffs, follows the spine of the ridge farther, and then drops back into the canyon. Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 1 Feb. 2024 One small group of BORTAC agents was hiding in a ravine near the paved road about 70 yards north of the border, while another group of agents, including the sniper, was on a ridge about 275 yards away. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 If finding indoor shelter is not an option: • Stay away from open fields, hill summits, or ridge tops. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
We were blown away by its vibrant color and thick yet incredibly smooth texture that concealed some nail ridges from a previous set of acrylics — resulting in a perfect overall-look score. Kate Watson, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 Gusts greater than 100 mph were expected on the Sierra ridges through early Monday, according to the weather service. Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 His fingernails were long and curved and ridged with dirt. Ellen Barry, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2024 That is expected to bring snow to the higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada ridges, with some wind gusts hitting 70 to 80 mph and intense snow and showers slated to arrive by late Saturday. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2024 This activity can form wrinkle ridges on the surface—protruding ridges hundreds of kilometers long that are associated with fairly shallow crustal activity. Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 Double-sided support ridges on the tines bolster their strength to prevent breakage during strenuous tasks. Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 26 July 2023 Additionally, the nubs and ridges on the chews contribute to maintaining healthy gums, ensuring comprehensive dental care. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2023 Broad upper ridging building in the region beginning Friday and into Saturday will bring warmer temps to the metro area. oregonlive, 14 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ridge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English rigge, from Old English hrycg; akin to Old High German hrukki ridge, back

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1523, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ridge was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ridge

Cite this Entry

“Ridge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ridge. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ridge

1 of 2 noun
: a raised or elevated part or area: as
a
: a range of hills or mountains
b
: the line made where two sloping surfaces come together
the ridge of a roof
ridged adjective

ridge

2 of 2 verb
ridged; ridging
: to form into or extend in ridges

Medical Definition

ridge

noun
: a raised or elevated part and especially a body part: as
a
: the projecting or elevated part of the back along the line of the backbone
b
: an elevated body part projecting from a surface

More from Merriam-Webster on ridge

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