pavement
Translation
road surface, tarmac
Examples
The car skidded on the wet pavement.
The car skidded on the wet road surface.
They are laying new pavement on this street.
They are laying new tarmac on this street.
Grammar Patterns
pavement: (in US English) the hard surface of a road. The car skidded on the wet pavement.
Similar Words
Synonyms: road surface, asphalt, blacktop
Etymology
From Latin 'pavimentum' (trodden-down floor), from 'pavire' (to beat, tread down).
Memory Tips
Crucially, in American English 'pavement' is the road surface, whereas in British English it means the 'sidewalk' or 'footpath'.