pavement

noun

pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt 

1

: a paved surface: such as

a

: the artificially covered surface of a public thoroughfare

b

chiefly British : sidewalk

2

: the material with which something is paved

3

: something that suggests a pavement (as in flatness, hardness, and extent of surface)

Examples of pavement in a Sentence

He stopped the car just off the pavement.

The summer heat rose off the pavement.

Recent Examples on the Web

On dry pavement, its 413 pound-feet of torque kept things interesting when passing traffic on the highway or off the line at a red light. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

Cookie whipped them and forced them to walk on burning pavement. —Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

Unlike pavement rehab projects of years past, this year the city is also launching a rain garden pilot program. —Helena Gunderson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025

Videos circulated online showed chaotic scenes near the store, with hundreds of buyers squeezing into a narrow pavement and spilling onto the road. —Chris Lau, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin pavimentum, from pavire

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pavement

• hit the pavement
• pavement café
• pound the streets/pavement

Kids Definition

pavement

noun

pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt 

1

: a paved surface (as of a street)

2

: the material with which something is paved