Ledge

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /lɛd͡ʒ/

Definitions

1. A horizontal projection that extends from a vertical surface, often found on cliffs or walls, serving as a shelf or support for items, while also presenting a view of the area below
2. A narrow platform that juts out from a structure or rock formation, typically used to hold objects or provide a vantage point over a drop below
3. A thin flat surface protruding from a steep area or building, which can act as a resting place or area for standing

Etymology: The sense of a narrow shelf sticking out from a wall comes from a much older idea of something laid down flat. Old English "leċġ" meant a bar or crossbeam, and it grew out of a Germanic root meaning a layer or stratum. The same underlying idea of a thing laid across or set in tiers shows up in Dutch "leg", meaning layer, and in Low German "Legg", which could mean a fold, a wrinkle, or a flat layer. A ledge, in other words, began as a horizontal layer before it became a projecting strip. The verb it is tied to, "to lay", comes from the same family. Middle English "leggen" meant to lay or apply, and the Old English verb "leċġan" carried that same sense of putting something down. So the shelf on the wall and the act of laying an object on a surface are close relatives, both drawn from the notion of things set flat in position.

Synonyms: shelf, overhang