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

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

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

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