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

Towering live oaks draped with Spanish moss lined the neighborhood, casting long shadows across the pavement as the sun began to set. — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

The next slide showed the site transformed into a park, with trees, flowers, permeable pavement, and comfortable seating. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

That’s a hefty frame to haul around a track, even without water on the pavement. — Scotty Reiss, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Crews also will strengthen the roadway’s foundation with micro-piles, which are designed to counter upward water pressure beneath the pavement. — Usa Today, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

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
• pounded the streets/pavement
• pound the streets/pavement

Rhymes for pavement

• enslavement

Kids Definition

pavement

noun

pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt 

1

: a paved surface (as of a street)

2

: the material with which something is paved