avenue
Americannoun
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avenues
plural
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a wide street or main thoroughfare.
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a means of access or attainment.
avenues of escape; avenues to greater power.
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a way or means of entering into or approaching a place.
the various avenues to India.
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Chiefly British.
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a wide, usually tree-lined road, path, driveway, etc., through grounds to a country house or monumental building.
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a suburban, usually tree-lined residential street.
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noun
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a broad street, often lined with trees
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(capital as part of a street name) a road, esp in a built-up area
Shaftesbury Avenue
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a main approach road, as to a country house
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a way bordered by two rows of trees
an avenue of oaks
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a line of approach
explore every avenue
Synonym Usage
See street.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of avenue
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
Explanation
An avenue is a street, especially a wide one lined with trees. An avenue is also any approach to doing something. For example, this web site might be a new avenue you have found for learning words. The word avenue comes from the French avenir, meaning "to come to, or arrive." The first meaning is simply a wide street. An avenue — or boulevard — is likely to be busy, unlike a quiet side street. The abbreviation is ave., as in Park Ave. Also, an avenue is a way to accomplish something. If you need money but can't get a loan, you'll have to find another avenue.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Discovering it could open an entirely new avenue of research into how certain chemicals alter visual perception.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
But there’s a better avenue for those investors, she said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Some have touted "industrial AI" as a possible avenue for Europe since its renowned machine makers -- such as Germany's Siemens and France's Schneider Electric -- have products installed in factories worldwide.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
"Our people will continue to explore every element, angle and avenue to work that out. It's something that, when we work towards it, discover it, we will present in court."
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Janae jumps out of the cab, looks both ways on the busy avenue, and rushes over to me.
From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi
Musicians and acrobats joined the colorful floats, giving the downtown avenues a carnival atmosphere.
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
Common suggestions include eliminating the income-tax cap, raising the full retirement age, implementing new taxation avenues or altering the cost-of-living adjustment in an effort to boost revenue for the program.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Understanding why that happens may open new avenues for research into Alzheimer's prevention and the nutritional needs of the aging brain.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
Each situation is somewhat unique, but if there is an overarching theme in entertainment, it is that the traditional avenues of growth in streaming—subscriptions and advertising—are becoming more challenging.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
The crystal-blue pools boiled and steamed, and a thick mist curled down the wide avenues and marble-lined streets.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
