viaduct

noun

via·​duct ˈvī-ə-ˌdəkt How to pronounce viaduct (audio)
: a long elevated roadway usually consisting of a series of short spans supported on arches, piers, or columns

Illustration of viaduct

Illustration of viaduct

Examples of viaduct in a Sentence

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.
Designed by structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and architect Norman Foster, the viaduct combines elegant design with structural strength, making it as much a work of art as a transportation artery. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2025 The team across the Causeway — the highway viaduct that connects Yolo County and Sacramento — would be the Sacramento State Hornets. Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2025 More than a third of the lost cash, or $327 million, was pegged to the Allston Multimodal Project, an overhaul of the Mass Pike in Allston that would have seen the replacement of viaducts with a ground-level highway and a new transit hub, among other things. Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald, 24 Sep. 2025 Traffic has slowed on I-75 as crews work to clear the viaduct above. Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for viaduct

Word History

Etymology

Latin via way, road + English aqueduct

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of viaduct was in 1816

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Cite this Entry

“Viaduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viaduct. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

viaduct

noun
via·​duct ˈvī-ə-ˌdəkt How to pronounce viaduct (audio)
: a bridge for carrying a road or railroad over something (as a gorge or a highway)

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