street
street
Street (noun) means a public road in a town or city, usually lined with buildings. Example: “They live on a quiet residential street.”
noun
1
A public road in a town or city, usually lined with buildings.
"Walk down the street until you see a hotel on the right."
"The man wearing a red coat is standing on the street."
"They live on a quiet residential street."
"The market fills the whole street on Saturday mornings."
"Turn left at the end of the street and you will see the library."
adj
1
Having a tough, worldly credibility associated with urban life.
"He has a lot of street smarts even though he never finished school."
"The film has a street style that feels real and gritty."
"His street wisdom helped him spot a bad deal immediately."
How to use street
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA road in a town lined with houses or shops, or (informally) having tough, real-world savvy.
Common pairings
street smart
main street
street cred
across the street
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- streets
- Past tense
- streeted
- Comparative
- more street
- Superlative
- most street
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They live on a quiet residential _____.
Etymology
From Old English strēt, an early borrowing from Latin strata ("paved road"), the past participle of a verb meaning "to spread or pave."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for street
See all rhymes for street →Frequently asked questions
What does “street” mean?
The word “street” means a public road in a town or city, usually lined with buildings. In plain terms, a road in a town lined with houses or shops, or (informally) having tough, real-world savvy.
How do you pronounce “street”?
“Street” is pronounced street (/stɹit/ in IPA).
How do you use “street” in a sentence?
Here is “street” used in a sentence: “They live on a quiet residential street.”
What part of speech is “street”?
Depending on how it is used, “street” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “street” come from?
The word “street” comes from Latin. From Old English strēt, an early borrowing from Latin strata ("paved road"), the past participle of a verb meaning "to spread or pave.".
Is “street” a common word?
“Street” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “street” have?
“Street” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a public road in a town or city, usually lined with buildings.
What is the difference between a street and a road?
A road is any route that connects two places and can run through open country. A street is more specific: a public road in a town or city, usually lined with buildings on both sides. Every street is a road, but not every road is a street — the word street implies a built-up setting.
What is the difference between a street and an avenue?
Traditionally a street runs perpendicular to an avenue, and avenues are often wider, sometimes lined with trees. In practice the distinction is loose and varies by city, with the names chosen more for planning or tradition than any strict rule. Both are public roads within a built-up area.
What are the types of streets?
Common types include the high street or main street, the busy commercial centre of a town; side streets, smaller roads branching off larger ones; cul-de-sacs, which are closed at one end; and back streets, the quieter routes behind main thoroughfares. Each describes a street's size, role, or position in the network.
What does the phrase 'on the street' mean?
Literally it means located on or along a street, but it also carries figurative meanings. 'On the streets' can describe someone who is homeless, while 'street smart' means practical, real-world savvy. The word street often stands in for public, everyday life as opposed to the private or official world.
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