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

After nine miles, the pavement turns into one-lane, gravel Heintooga Round Bottom Road, which drops for 14 winding miles into the depths of the park. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2025

Generally, crabgrass thrives in lawns that are cut short and in drier areas near pavement. —Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025

In the last 11 months, crews replaced more than 388 lane miles of pavement. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025

When Heupel was the first face to emerge from the buses, he was greeted with a raucous cheer as soon as his white sneakers touched the pavement. —David Ubben, New York Times, 14 Apr. 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