Added 10 October 2026
abutment
/əˈbʌt.mn̩t/ noun
First recorded: 1644 Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about abutment at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- The point of junction between two things, in particular a support, that abuts. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
- The solid portion of a structure that supports the lateral pressure of an arch or vault.
- A construction that supports the ends of a bridge; a structure that anchors the cables on a suspension bridge.
Origin
First attested in 1644; engineering sense first attested in 1793. From Old French aboutement. Equivalent to abut + -ment.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)