edge

The word “edge” means the outer boundary or line where something ends. In plain terms, either the outer boundary of something, the sharp part of a blade, a slight advantage, or moving carefully bit by bit.

“Edge” is pronounced ehj (/ɛd͡ʒ/ in IPA).

Here is “edge” used in a sentence: “She stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the valley.”

Depending on how it is used, “edge” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “edge” comes from Latin. From Old English ecg ("sharp point or blade"), related to a very old Indo-European root for "sharp" — the same one behind the Latin word acus, "needle.".

“Edge” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Edge” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the outer boundary or line where something ends.

An edge is a line or boundary that runs along where a surface or object ends. A corner is the single point where two or more edges meet. Think of a table: the long sides are its edges, while the sharp points where those sides join are its corners.

An edge is the physical line where an object or surface actually ends, such as the edge of a cliff. A border is more often a marked or agreed dividing line between two areas, like a border between countries. Edges are shapes, while borders are frequently boundaries drawn by people.

The opposite of an edge is the centre or middle — the area furthest from any boundary. Where the edge marks where something ends, the centre marks its heart. Related contrasts include 'interior' versus edge, or 'core' versus rim, all pointing away from the outer limit toward the inside.

The edge of a table, the edge of a page, the edge of a knife, or the edge of a forest are all common examples. In each, the edge is the outer line where that object or area stops and something else — empty space or a different surface — begins.