berm

noun

ˈbərm 

1

: a narrow shelf, path, or ledge typically at the top or bottom of a slope

also : a mound or wall of earth or sand

a landscaped berm

2

: the shoulder of a road

… deer … feeding on the berm of the highway …

—Norman Erickson

Examples of berm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Crews on Tuesday mostly mopped up and removed berms and fire breaks erected during firefighting efforts, Cal Fire officials said. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

The district claimed the firing line at the gun range faces toward the school and that, while there are berms to stop bullets, the owner of the gun range said someone could theoretically fire over the berms. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026

Others were injured at the Tesla Supercharger in the parking lot of the Twin Falls Visitor Center, which is just down a berm from the In-N-Out. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 7 Aug. 2026

Presidio is protected by a series of berms and levees built in the 1970s and 1980s along the Rio Grande and tributaries to combat flooding. — Rebecca Santana, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French berme, from Dutch berm strip of ground along a dike; akin to Middle English brimme brim

First Known Use

1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for berm

• ferm
• firm
• germ
• herm
• sperm
• squirm
• term
• therm
• worm
• wurm
• affirm
• bookworm

Kids Definition

berm

noun

ˈbərm 

: a shelf or path at the top or bottom of a slope

also : a mound or wall of earth