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

In a recent article, we evaluated sugar's environmental impacts and explored avenues for reducing sugar in the diet to recommended levels either through reducing production or using the saved sugar in environmentally beneficial ways.

From Salon

The work is important because it opens up new avenues of research for quantum physicists and material science.

From Science Daily

“While Trump views his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping as an avenue for negotiation, he will likely lean on Waltz and Rubio in fashioning a more aggressive, uncompromising policy towards China.”

From BBC

They said the area around Highland and Fountain avenues would be closed through at least the early morning.

From Los Angeles Times

"Our work highlights a potential avenue for intervention that may aid in closing the vocabulary and language gap that exists for some of these children."

From Science Daily

Related Words

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