driveway

American  

[drahyv-wey] / ˈdraɪvˌweɪ /

noun

1. a road, especially a private one, leading from a street or other thoroughfare to a building, house, garage, etc.

2. any road for driving on.

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driveway British  

/ ˈdraɪvˌweɪ /

noun

1. a private road for vehicles, often connecting a house or garage with a public road; drive

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Etymology

Origin of driveway

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70; drive + way ¹

Explanation

A driveway is a small private road in front of a house or garage. If there's no parking allowed on your street, you can tell visiting friends to park their cars in your driveway. Some driveways are only a few feet long, while others stretch for many yards to houses set far back from the public road. Homeowners are responsible for their driveways, including plowing or shoveling the snow that falls in the driveway during the winter months. You can also call your driveway a drive, and both words emerged in the late 19th century.

Example Sentences

Ahead of Sturgeon's Kuenssberg interview, her lawyer Aamer Anwar insisted his client never spotted the 24ft-long motorhome parked in the driveway at the side of her mother-in-law house during her visits.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Borel yelled as he charged down the inn’s driveway after the man and woman running to their getaway car.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

In addition, across the entire city, the law bans blocking sidewalks in ways that would impede a wheelchair or within several feet of a driveway or building entrance.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Miliband will also announce plans to amend planning laws to make it easier for those without a driveway to charge electric cars and to enable more businesses to install solar panels.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

Several yellow ones sprinkled the lawn and the driveway.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Related Words

• entrance