chair rail

noun

plural chair rails
: a molding on a wall around a room to protect the wall from being damaged by the backs of chairs
… had removed the chair rail, thereby eliminating the dado effect …Elizabeth Lambert

Examples of chair rail 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.
The kitchen is next to the formal dining room, which features more shadow boxing wall treatments under a chair rail, a crown molding, and the gracefully arched passageway to the entry hall. James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 17 Aug. 2025 On the other side of the kitchen is a dining area with wooden chair rail molding. Angela Serratore, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chair rail was in 1798

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chair rail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chair%20rail. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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