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

The ceremony itself creates a striking scene: A man in a suit and tie looking oddly out of place at his own mansion, standing next to a couple of whole dead deer lying on the pavement. —Andrew Sharp, Outdoor Life, 27 Nov. 2024

Drive the stakes into the soft ground next to the cement or pavement. —Zach Bradshaw, The Arizona Republic, 26 Nov. 2024

One officer held Hill's shoulder while another came up behind him, grabbed him around the back to the front of his chest, and sat him on the pavement. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024

Safety issues surrounding e-scooter riders who take passengers and ride on pavement were also addressed in the report. —Tanya Mohn, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

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