street

1 of 2

noun

ˈstrēt 

1

a

: a thoroughfare especially in a city, town, or village that is wider than an alley or lane and that usually includes sidewalks

b

: the part of a street reserved for vehicles

c

: a thoroughfare with abutting property

lives on a fashionable street

2

: the people occupying property on a street

the whole street knew about the accident

3

: a promising line of development or a channeling of effort

a crafty politician working both sides of the street

success through compromise is a two-way street

4

capitalized

a

: a district (such as Wall Street or Fleet Street) identified with a particular profession

b

: the people who work in such a district

doing better than the Street expected

5

: an environment (as in a depressed neighborhood or section of a city) of poverty, dereliction, or crime

grew up on the mean streets

street

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of or relating to the streets: such as

a

: adjoining or giving access to a street

the street door

b

: carried on or taking place in the street

street fighting

c

: living or working on the streets

a street peddler

street people

d

: located in, used for, or serving as a guide to the streets

a street map

e

: performing in or heard on the street

a street band

f(1)

: suitable for wear or use on the street

street clothes

(2)

: not touching the ground

—used of a woman's dress in lengths reaching the knee, calf, or ankle

g

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the street environment

street drugs

used … his new street cred to develop contacts

—Dale Keiger

2

: retail

the street price

Phrases

on the street or in the street

1

: idle, homeless, or out of a job

2

: out of prison : at liberty

up one's street or down one's street

: suited to one's abilities or taste

Synonyms

Noun

• arterial
• artery
• avenue
• boulevard
• carriageway [British]
• drag
• drive
• expressway
• freeway
• high road
• highway
• pass
• pike
• road
• roadway
• route
• row
• thoroughfare
• thruway
• trace
• turnpike
• way

Example Sentences

Noun

They live on a busy street.

You should look both ways before crossing the street.

The police car cruised up the street.

Many of our customers walk in off the street without having heard of us before.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

BigHit Music previously shared on Weverse that the hip-hop track’s title is a reference to J-Hope’s artistic roots in street dance. —Vulture, 4 Mar. 2023

In earlier generations, Palestinian political factions ran the brigades during street fighting against Israel. —Fatima Abdulkarim, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2023

Banksyland, a traveling art exhibit that promises to immerse visitors in the works of the British street artist and activist Banksy, is coming to Cincinnati. —Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2023

The killer kept preying on vulnerable women and girls, many of whom were runaways or had been involved in street prostitution, leaving the bodies in remote, wooded stretches. —Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2023

So good, in fact, that Ganassi may use the driver slated to only drive the road and street races in the No. 11 Honda in 2023 in an oval race. —Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Mar. 2023

The draft bill proposes to raise the fine for moving a monument or changing the name of a memorial street or building. —Mike Cason | [e-mail], al, 3 Mar. 2023

Growing up in Boston in the 1970s, the twins joined a professional street-dance crew at 10 and never looked back. —Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Mar. 2023

These are most seen at street circuits or where the asphalt is exceptionally smooth. —Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 2 Mar. 2023

Adjective

The newspaper also pointed out that mid-street crossing is common in the area, in no small part because the median between the two one-way roads that Herzberg was crossing contains an apparent pedestrian walkway. —Jeremy Hsu, Discover Magazine, 22 Mar. 2018

An atmospheric, sub-street level wine cellar-vibe addition in the former Biondi Mills in Ostiense, said to be inspired by the 1950’s American soda companies. —Lana Bortolot, Forbes, 27 June 2022

Cleveland police are cracking down on riders of dirt bikes, ATVs and other non-street-legal vehicles, but their new tactics have already been tested in other big U.S. cities. —Laura Johnston, cleveland, 31 May 2022

One such operation over the weekend resulted in the seizure of 15 non-street-legal vehicles and the issuance of 30-plus citations. —Courtney Astolfi, cleveland, 23 May 2022

Earlier this month, the Georgia Department of Public Safety coordinated with state and local law enforcement agencies for the 40th wave of its crime suppression and anti-street racing initiative. —John Spink, ajc, 24 Feb. 2022

The tree removal is part of a multi-street paving program planned by the city. —BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2021

The late King of Pop has enough tunes in his bag for anyone to serenade sweetly under the covers, but for Pink Sweat$, this song proves that the icon was able to keep it street while being sweet. —Kevin L. Clark, Essence, 28 May 2021

Among the possibilities, Schiemer said, don't expect any more Project One–style non-street-legal projects. —Jens Meiners, Car and Driver, 3 Apr. 2021

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English strete, from Old English strǣt, from Late Latin strata paved road, from Latin, feminine of stratus, past participle — more at stratum

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing street

• across the street
• cloud street
• down one's street
• down the street
• hit the street
• civvy street
• on easy street
• high street
• man in the street
• off-street
• man on the street
• side street
• street corner
• street cred
• street fighter
• street food
• street people
• street level
• street railway
• street-smart
• street smarts
• street talk
• street theater
• the man in the street
• up one's street
• two-way street
• up someone's street
• through street
• easy street
• live on the street(s)
• word on the street
• up the street
• woman of the street
• street hockey
• street clothes
• in the street
• on the street

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• across the street
• cloud street
• down one's street
• down the street
• hit the street
• civvy street
• on easy street
• high street
• man in the street
• off-street
• man on the street
• side street
• street corner
• street cred
• street fighter
• street food
• street people
• street level
• street railway
• street-smart
• street smarts
• street talk
• street theater
• the man in the street
• up one's street
• two-way street
• up someone's street
• through street
• easy street
• live on the street(s)
• word on the street
• up the street
• woman of the street
• street hockey
• street clothes
• in the street
• on the street

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Kids Definition

street

1 of 2 noun

ˈstrēt 

1

a

: a public way especially in a city, town, or village usually including sidewalks and being wider than an alley or lane

b

: the part of a street reserved for vehicles

c

: a public way with the property along it

lived on Maple Street

2

: the people occupying property on a street

the whole street was excited

street

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to the street or streets

a street door

a street map

street clothes

2

: of or relating to the environment of the street

street people

Etymology

Noun

Old English strǣt "street," from Latin strata "paved road," derived from earlier stratus, past participle of sternere "to spread out"