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
Recent Examples on the Web
Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
Add an extra teaspoon for each arm or leg, front and back.
—Kathleen Suico, Allure, 13 Apr. 2024
But Take Note Magna-Tiles are on the pricier side, and some kids may be frustrated by the fact that not all of the legs are moveable.
—Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 13 Apr. 2024
YouTube mom Ruby Franke pleads guilty in child abuse case
Ropes were at times allegedly used to tie the two sets of handcuffs together so that his arms and legs were lifted off the ground, the suit said.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2024
That evening, a human leg was discovered in Cudahy’s Warnimont Park.
—Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Abby is in control of their right arm and leg, and Brittany is in control of their left.
—Chris Barilla, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
Cicadas have three pairs of legs that are adapted for grasping branches or other surfaces.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
In the middle of the media room facing the movie screen sits a bar table with barrels that serve as legs.
—Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024
Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
Plus, in a particularly clever design move, the pants legs zip together when they’re removed to keep you from losing track of them.
—Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
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
Noun
Gelzer's head and torso were stored in the refrigerator while his arms and legs were put in the freezer.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024
Add an extra teaspoon for each arm or leg, front and back.
—Kathleen Suico, Allure, 13 Apr. 2024
But Take Note Magna-Tiles are on the pricier side, and some kids may be frustrated by the fact that not all of the legs are moveable.
—Ashley Ziegler, Parents, 13 Apr. 2024
YouTube mom Ruby Franke pleads guilty in child abuse case
Ropes were at times allegedly used to tie the two sets of handcuffs together so that his arms and legs were lifted off the ground, the suit said.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 12 Apr. 2024
That evening, a human leg was discovered in Cudahy’s Warnimont Park.
—Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Abby is in control of their right arm and leg, and Brittany is in control of their left.
—Chris Barilla, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024
Cicadas have three pairs of legs that are adapted for grasping branches or other surfaces.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
In the middle of the media room facing the movie screen sits a bar table with barrels that serve as legs.
—Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 11 Apr. 2024
Verb
The dark ride uses a vehicle mechanism in which riders legs dangle below them in order to simulate flying.
—Erin Clements, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
Plus, in a particularly clever design move, the pants legs zip together when they’re removed to keep you from losing track of them.
—Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2024
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
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 19 Apr. 2024.
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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