Word
pavement
Phoneticspave·ment, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpeɪvmənt/
UK/pˈeɪvmənt/
Definitions
01pedestrian walkway
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun British English
n. the hard path at the side of a road for people to walk on.
n. the paved path for pedestrians located at the side of a road. In British English, this is the standard term for what Americans call a 'sidewalk'.
“The children were told to stay on the pavement and away from the cars.”
“The council decided to widen the pavement to accommodate the increased foot traffic from the new underground station.”
Usage
Commonly used with the preposition 'on'.
Pitfall
I was walking on the pavement when a car hit me.
I was walking on the pavement when a car drove past.
In British English, cars drive on the road, not the pavement. If you are in the US, 'pavement' usually refers to the road surface itself.
Antonyms
02road surface material
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Architecture American English
n. the hard surface of a road or a large area like a car park.
n. the durable surface layer of a road, street, or parking area, typically made of asphalt or concrete.
“The hot sun made the pavement soft and sticky.”
“Engineers are testing a new type of porous pavement that allows rainwater to soak through into the ground rather than creating puddles.”
Teaching tip
In North America, 'pavement' refers to the road surface where vehicles drive, whereas in the UK, it refers to where people walk.
Etymology
From Middle English pament, from Anglo-Norman pavement and reinforced by Middle French pavement; both from Latin pavīmentum (“paved surface or floor”), from pavīre (“to beat, to ram, to tread down”). Morphologically pave + -ment.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. hit the pavement
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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