trestle

noun

tres·​tle ˈtre-səl How to pronounce trestle (audio)
also ˈtrə-
variants or less commonly tressel
1
: a braced frame serving as a support
2
: horse sense 2b
3
: a braced framework of timbers, piles, or steelwork for carrying a road or railroad over a depression

Examples of trestle 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 its 40 miles, that article noted, the train climbed more than 1,600 feet, crossed 34 bridges and trestles and rounded some 381 turns, occasionally pausing to deliver groceries to rural neighbors. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Highway 70 has reopened through Marysville after a semi-truck slammed into a railroad trestle Monday morning and shut down the highway for several hours. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 After much planning and coordination, a locomotive and burning trestle bridge collapsed on cue, complete with a dummy engineer in the driving cabin. — Brian Bull, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026 Inside, in what is normally a sports hall, hundreds of people are sleeping overnight on trestle beds. — Emma Burrows, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trestle

Word History

Etymology

Middle English trestel, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *trastellum, from Latin transtillum, diminutive of transtrum traverse beam, from trans across — more at through entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trestle was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing trestle

Rhymes for trestle

See All Rhymes for trestle

Browse Nearby Words

tres-tine
trestle
trestle bent
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trestle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trestle. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

trestle

noun
tres·​tle ˈtres-əl How to pronounce trestle (audio)
1
: a braced frame consisting usually of a horizontal piece with spreading legs at each end that supports something (as the top of a table)
2
: a structure of timbers or steel for carrying a road or railroad over a valley

More from Merriam-Webster on trestle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trestle

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