driveway
Americannoun
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a road, especially a private one, leading from a street or other thoroughfare to a building, house, garage, etc.
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any road for driving on.
noun
Etymology
Origin of driveway
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Andy Leisner, an e-mobility consultant who was formerly chief executive of the e-moto company Rawrr, estimated that up to 80% of the bikes are bought through e-commerce platforms and delivered straight to the customer’s driveway.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
It was parked in a driveway at the home of Peter Murrell's mother in Dunfermline.
From BBC • 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
The first: a locked electric gate on Mountain View Drive, at the top of Levy’s driveway.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
When we pulled into the driveway, Avery texted that she’d be out in two minutes, but that was eight minutes ago and counting.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions 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.
