bookshelf

noun

book·​shelf ˈbu̇k-ˌshelf How to pronounce bookshelf (audio)
: an open shelf for holding books

Examples of bookshelf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Storage solutions like this five-cube bookshelf and these stackable storage bags work well for stashing new cookbooks or holding seasonal decor and clothes for next season. Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2025 On bookshelves in one room were sparkling tiny houses and trees set up like Christmas villages, with cotton and string lights made to look like snow. Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025 Books of the day were incredibly rare and valuable objects and were often fixed or chained to bookshelves and tables. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025 Predictably, the fluffy one runs upstairs to his hideout behind a bookshelf. Hazlitt, 23 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bookshelf

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bookshelf was in 1648

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Cite this Entry

“Bookshelf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bookshelf. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

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