# bridge

> English word · Noun · IPA /bɹɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #1,746

## Definitions
1. A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
2. A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
3. A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
4. A construction or natural feature that spans a divide.
5. An arch or superstructure.
6. An arch or superstructure.
7. An arch or superstructure.
8. An arch or superstructure.
9. An arch or superstructure.
10. An arch or superstructure.
11. An arch or superstructure.
12. A connection, real or abstract.
13. A connection, real or abstract.
14. A connection, real or abstract.
15. A connection, real or abstract.
16. A connection, real or abstract.
17. A connection, real or abstract.
18. A connection, real or abstract.
19. A connection, real or abstract.
20. A connection, real or abstract.
21. A connection, real or abstract.
22. A connection, real or abstract.
23. A connection, real or abstract.
24. A connection, real or abstract.
25. A connection, real or abstract.
26. Any of several electrical devices that measure characteristics such as impedance and inductance by balancing different parts of a circuit
27. A low wall or vertical partition in the fire chamber of a furnace, for deflecting flame, etc.; a bridge wall.
28. The situation where a lone rider or small group of riders closes the space between them and the rider or group in front.
29. A solid crust of undissolved salt in a water softener.
30. An elongated chain of teammates, connected to the pack, for improved blocking potential.
31. A form of cheating by which a card is cut by previously curving it by pressure of the hand.

## Etymology
From Middle English brigge, from Old English brycġ (“bridge”), from Proto-Germanic *brugjō, *brugjǭ (“bridge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerw-, *bʰrēw- (“wooden flooring, decking, bridge”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots brig, brigg (“bridge”), Yola burge (“bridge”), North Frisian brag, Bröch (“bridge”), Saterland Frisian Brääch, Brääg (“bridge”), West Frisian brêge (“bridge”), Dutch brug (“bridge”), German Brücke (“bridge”), Limburgish brögk (“bridge”), Luxembourgish Bréck (“bridge”), Vilamovian bryk (“bridge”), Yiddish בריק (brik, “bridge”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål brygge (“jetty, pier, wharf”), Faroese, Icelandic bryggja (“pier”), Norwegian Nynorsk brygge, bryggje (“jetty, pier, wharf”), Swedish brygga (“bridge; pier”).
The verb is from Middle English briggen, from Old English brycġian (“to bridge, make a causeway, pave”), derived from the noun. Cognate with Dutch bruggen (“to bridge”), Middle Low German bruggen (“to bridge”), Old High German bruccōn (“to bridge”) (whence Modern German brücken).
The sense of a part of a stringed instrument is a semantic loan from German Steg, from Old High German steg.

## Easily confused with
- **brig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-brig)
- **brie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-brie)
- **bring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bring)
- **budge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-budge)
- **brine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-brine)
- **brings** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-brings)
- **Briggs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-briggs)
- **brodie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-brodie)
- **bridle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bridle)
- **bridges** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bridges)
- **Bridget** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bridget)
- **bridged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bridged)
- **bridger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bridger)
- **Bridgend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bridge-vs-bridgend)
- **bide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bide-vs-bridge)
- **bride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bride-vs-bridge)
- **badge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/badge-vs-bridge)
- **binge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/binge-vs-bridge)
- **bribe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bribe-vs-bridge)
- **beige** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beige-vs-bridge)

## Common misspellings (9)
`bbridge`, `birdge`, `brdige`, `briddge`, `brideg`, `bridgge`, `brigde`, `brridge`, `rbidge`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bridge