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

Caltrans aimed to add carpool lanes and resurface pavement on the highway between I-5 and Watt Avenue. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Already the viewer is in cloud-cuckoo-land; the pavement might as well erupt with the sandworms of Arrakis. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026

Surface tree roots may also push their way through sidewalk cracks or buckle pavement in driveways. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026

The bicyclist was thrown from the bicycle and landed on the pavement, suffering minor injuries. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026

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
• pounded the streets/pavement
• 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