pavement

noun

pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt How to pronounce pavement (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Four birds lay on the pavement, almost in a row, and Dr. Willard knelt to pick each one up. Vincent Alban, New York Times, 21 May 2025 Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the pavement with his knee for more than nine minutes—a moment that ignited a global movement. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 2025 The video shows that as the ladder retracts, the first responder maintains his balance and grip on the ladder as Hussain falls, flips in the air and plummets to the pavement. Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025 The other four officers then opened fire, shooting dozens of rounds at Reed, who exited the vehicle before falling to the pavement. Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for pavement

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pavement was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pavement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pavement. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

pavement

noun
pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt How to pronounce pavement (audio)
1
: a paved surface (as of a street)
2
: the material with which something is paved

More from Merriam-Webster on pavement

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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