cross-legged

adverb or adjective

ˈkrȯs-ˌle-gəd How to pronounce cross-legged (audio)
-ˌlā-;
-ˌlegd How to pronounce cross-legged (audio)
-ˌlāgd
1
: with legs crossed and knees spread wide apart
2
: with one leg placed over and across the other

Examples of cross-legged 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.
In an ornate Italian Renaissance-style room, participants sit scattered across couches and cushions, cross-legged with their eyes closed. — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 More than 120 people crammed into the Livingston City Commission meeting, sitting cross-legged on the floor and spilling over into the hallway and adjacent rooms. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Then, on Friday, July 31, Jack shared another photo of himself holding his youngest daughter in his arms while sitting cross-legged in a park. — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2026 The actress wears a toasty-looking fur hat and sits cross-legged on the floor, the Canadian road traffic muffling her voice slightly. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cross-legged

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cross-legged was circa 1530

Rhymes for cross-legged

See All Rhymes for cross-legged

Browse Nearby Words

cross-leaved heath
cross-legged
crosslegs
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cross-legged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross-legged. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cross-legged

adverb
ˈkrȯ-ˈsleg(-ə)d
: with the legs crossed and the knees spread wide
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