boulevard

noun

bou·​le·​vard ˈbu̇-lə-ˌvärd 

ˈbü-,

 also  ˈbə-

: a broad often landscaped thoroughfare

Synonyms

• arterial
• artery
• avenue
• carriageway [British]
• drag
• drive
• expressway
• freeway
• high road
• highway
• pass
• pike
• road
• roadway
• route
• row
• street
• thoroughfare
• thruway
• trace
• turnpike
• way

Examples of boulevard in a Sentence

the city is celebrated for its broad, tree-lined boulevards

Recent Examples on the Web

Following the street north, Arroyo Street turns into Alvear Avenue, another famous boulevard known for its historic palaces, high-end boutiques, and luxury hotels like Alvear Palace, Four Seasons, and Park Hyatt. —Nora Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2024

Nevertheless, Olympics organizers are determined to put on a show that stuns the throngs assembled on the boulevards of Paris, not to mention the millions of people expected to watch the Games unfold on their televisions and mobile devices. —Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, modification of Middle Dutch bolwerc bulwark

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

boulevard

noun

bou·​le·​vard ˈbu̇l-ə-ˌvärd 

ˈbül-

: a wide avenue often having grass strips with trees along its center or sides

Etymology

from French boulevard "walkway lined with trees," derived from early Dutch bolwerc "bulwark, rampart"; so called because the earliest boulevards were at sites of razed fortifications — related to bulwark