pavement
pavement Lexical Profile
pavement Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American The hard, durable surface of a road, street, or parking lot, typically made of asphalt or concrete.
"The summer heat radiated intensely off the dark asphalt pavement of the highway."
British A raised, paved path for pedestrians at the side of a road.
"Pedestrians should stay on the pavement rather than stepping into the busy street."
A decorative floor or surface covering made of flat stones, tiles, bricks, or mosaic.
"Archaeologists uncovered an intricate Roman mosaic pavement beneath the ancient villa."
A natural, flat expanse of exposed rock, such as a glacially eroded limestone formation divided by deep fissures, found in karst regions like northern England and western Ireland.
"Rare alpine ferns grow within the sheltered crevices of the limestone pavement."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British English, 'pavement' refers specifically to the raised pedestrian walkway alongside a road, whereas in American English it refers to the hard-surfaced roadway itself (with the pedestrian path called a 'sidewalk').
• Rhymes for pavement
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'pavement', from Latin 'pavimentum' (a floor composed of small stones beaten down), derived from the verb 'pavire' meaning 'to beat, ram, or tread down'.