avenue
AV-uh-nyoo
Avenue (noun) means a wide street, often lined with trees. Example: “We walked along the grand avenue, past cafes and shady plane trees.”
noun
1
A wide street, often lined with trees.
"We walked along the grand avenue, past cafes and shady plane trees."
"Cars were parked all the way down the avenue on both sides."
"Their apartment overlooks a quiet, tree-lined avenue."
2
A possible way of achieving or approaching something.
"Volunteering is one avenue you could try if you want experience in healthcare."
"The lawyer said they still had a few legal avenues left to explore."
"We should look into every avenue before giving up on the project."
How to use avenue
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA street (often grand or tree-lined), or figuratively, a route or option toward a goal.
Common pairings
explore an avenue
tree-lined avenue
new avenues for
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Word forms
- Plural
- avenues
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We walked along the grand _____, past cafes and shady plane trees.
Etymology
From French avenue, the feminine past participle of avenir, "to approach," from Latin advenire, "to come to."
Related words
Rhymes for avenue
See all rhymes for avenue →Frequently asked questions
What does “avenue” mean?
The word “avenue” means a wide street, often lined with trees. In plain terms, a street (often grand or tree-lined), or figuratively, a route or option toward a goal.
How do you pronounce “avenue”?
“Avenue” is pronounced AV-uh-nyoo (/ˈæv.əˌn(j)u/ in IPA).
How do you use “avenue” in a sentence?
Here is “avenue” used in a sentence: “Their apartment overlooks a quiet, tree-lined avenue.”
What part of speech is “avenue”?
“Avenue” is a noun.
Where does the word “avenue” come from?
The word “avenue” comes from Latin. From French avenue, the feminine past participle of avenir, "to approach," from Latin advenire, "to come to.".
Is “avenue” a common word?
“Avenue” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “avenue” have?
“Avenue” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a wide street, often lined with trees.
What is the difference between an avenue and a street?
A street is the general word for any public road with buildings along it. An avenue is a particular kind of street: wide, and typically lined with trees. In practice, city planners often use 'avenue' for grander through-roads, though the names on a map do not always follow a strict rule.
What is the difference between an avenue and a boulevard?
Both are wide, often tree-lined streets, but a boulevard is usually the grander of the two: a broad, multi-lane thoroughfare, sometimes with a planted central strip. An avenue is wide and typically tree-lined but need not be so large. In everyday use the two words heavily overlap.
Why are avenues lined with trees?
Trees give an avenue its character, providing shade, beauty, and a sense of grandeur along the route. Rows of trees frame the road, cool the air in summer, and soften the hard lines of surrounding buildings. This tradition of tree-planting is exactly what sets an avenue apart from an ordinary street.
What are some famous avenues?
Some of the world's best-known streets are avenues, such as Fifth Avenue in New York, Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, and Shaftesbury Avenue in London. These wide, prominent roads often host shops, landmarks, or government buildings, showing how the word 'avenue' tends to signal an important or stately street.
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