pavement

noun

pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt How to pronounce pavement (audio)
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
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.
Hill, in handcuffs, yells into his phone, that’s now on the pavement. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025 Massive as its wheel/tire package most certainly is for a relatively compact CUV, Macan Turbo (Electric) is not over-tired, the multi-link suspension easily managing movement and keeping the tire treads firmly planted on the pavement. Mark Ewing, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 In the past two years, a handful of brands have leaned into—or doubled down on—the category of shoe that can both run smoothly on pavement and keep you from falling on your face on a trail. Lisa Jhung, Outside Online, 28 Feb. 2025 Their outfits speak to the juxtaposition of prim and proper styling alongside deconstructed looks on the pavement outside of presentations. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pavement

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of pavement was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pavement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pavement. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

pavement

noun
pave·​ment ˈpāv-mənt How to pronounce pavement (audio)
1
: a paved surface (as of a street)
2
: the material with which something is paved

More from Merriam-Webster on pavement

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