ledge

Meaning

Noun

1. A narrow surface projecting horizontally from a wall, cliff, or other surface.
2. A shelf on which articles may be laid.
3. A shelf, ridge, or reef, of rocks.
4. A layer or stratum.
5. A lode; a limited mass of rock bearing valuable mineral.
6. A (door or window) lintel.
7. A cornice.
8. A piece of timber to support the deck, placed athwartship between beams.

Verb

To cause to have, or to develop, a ledge (during mining, canal construction, building, etc).

Synonyms

shelf

projection

edge

jut

rim

protuberance

bump

brim

sill

lath

verge

cornice

flange

set-off

lip

teat

lug

end

🔚

extremity

fascia

flaring

foot

🦶

gate

grating

grill

knife

🔪

lag

level

lid

ligule

limb

lode

marge

mesh

molding

neb

nick

notch

peak

prominence

rack

rail

reeding

ridge

rock

🪨

rung

salient

shoulder

slat

spur

Translations

Sims

repisa

corniche

Leiste

cornice

cengia

stralpo

Vorsprung

cornicione

περβάζι

Kante

rebord

Felsband

χείλος

mensola

Pronounced as (IPA)

/lɛd͡ʒ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: legge

Cognate with Middle English: leggen

In summary

From Middle English legge, from Old English leċġ (“bar, crossbeam”), from Proto-West Germanic *laggju (“layer, strip, ledge, rung, bar”), from Proto-Germanic *lagjō (“layer, stratum”), from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (“to lie, recline”). Cognate with West Frisian lêch (“a layer of sheaves on a threshing floor”), Dutch leg (“layer”), German Low German Legg (“wrinkle, fold, flat layer, stratum”), Middle High German legge, lecke (“position, layer, stratum, tier; pleat, hem”). Related to Middle English leggen (“to lay, apply”), from Old English leċġan (“to lay”); and Old English *ġeleċġ (“positioning, arrangement, layout”) as in Old English limġeleċġ (“the disposition of the limbs, form, shape”). More at lay.