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

Ziering allegedly exited his vehicle without provocation and forcefully shoved Hernandez twice, knocking him into a female friend and onto the pavement. —Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 2 Jan. 2026

Some of his favorite activities include coloring with chalk on the pavement, swinging at the playground, sunbathing on warm days, visiting the trampoline park, playing Bocce, and going on field trips that spark his curiosity. —CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025

White mulberry roots have been known to shoot out through yards, cracking pavement and upending landscaping along the way. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2025

The National Weather Service highlights that in some instances, burned soil can be as water repellant as pavement, A general rule of thumb is that half an inch of rainfall in less than an hour is sufficient to cause flash flooding in a burn area. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 23 Dec. 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
• 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