avenue

[ av-uh-nyoo, -noo ]

noun

1. a wide street or main thoroughfare.
2. a means of access or attainment:

   avenues of escape; avenues to greater power.

3. a way or means of entering into or approaching a place:

   the various avenues to India.

4. Chiefly British.
   1. a wide, usually tree-lined road, path, driveway, etc., through grounds to a country house or monumental building.
   2. a suburban, usually tree-lined residential street.

avenue

/ ˈævɪˌnjuː /

noun

1. 1. a broad street, often lined with trees
   2. capital as part of a street name a road, esp in a built-up area

      Shaftesbury Avenue

2. a main approach road, as to a country house
3. a way bordered by two rows of trees

   an avenue of oaks

4. a line of approach

   explore every avenue

Word History and Origins

Origin of avenue¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from French, literally, “approach,” noun use of feminine past participle of avenir, from Latin advenīre “to come to.” See a- ⁵, venue

Word History and Origins

Origin of avenue¹

C17: from French, from avenir to come to, from Latin advenīre, from venīre to come

Synonym Study

See street.

Example Sentences

It said it hoped they are also looking at "every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice", including the police "or the Fayed family and estate".

From BBC

The suggestion was that by doing so the Center for Immigration Studies would give liberals reason to support hard-line immigration controls and perhaps also offer conservatives an avenue to fold global warming into their narratives of a country under assault.

From Salon

Authorities said the incident started around 7:30 a.m., when the Sheriff’s Department responded to a call for service at the courthouse on Maple Avenue, a few hundred feet from both the Torrance Police Department and Torrance City Hall.

From Los Angeles Times

Residents of a two-story Laurel Avenue apartment complex in West Hollywood stood on the building’s front porch as dozens of protesters shouted at them.

From Los Angeles Times

He insisted on taking her out to dinner at a barbecue restaurant on La Brea Avenue to repay her for her help.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• boulevard
• channel
• entrance
• outlet
• pathway
• promenade
• road
• route
• thoroughfare