Street Definition, Examples & Common Usage

Meaning 1：A city road (street)

street 🔊

/striːt/

A public road in a city or town, usually with buildings along one or both sides, where people can walk and cars can drive.

Sunlit city street with cars and pedestrians lined with buildings

A city road 🔊

➕

/ə ˈsɪti roʊd/

A public road in a city or town, typically lined with buildings, sidewalks, and used by vehicles and pedestrians.

📁 Category：Buildings & Places 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'strata' (paved road), past participle of 'sternere' (to spread out).

💡 Mnemonic

S-T-R-E-E-T: See The Road Extending Endlessly Today — a straight strip through town.

📖 Example

The children were playing street football outside their house until it got dark. 🔊 The children were playing street football outside their house until it got dark.

🔗 Collocations

street corner – The point where two streets meet

street light – A light mounted on a pole to illuminate the street at night

one-way street – A street where traffic is allowed to move in only one direction

🔄 Synonyms

road (n.) – A wide route for vehicles, often connecting towns or cities

avenue (n.) – A broad road in a city, often lined with trees and buildings

lane (n.) – A narrow street, often in a residential area

🌱 Derivatives

streetcar (n.) – A vehicle that runs on rails along city streets

streetwise (adj.) – Having the knowledge and experience needed to deal with urban life

streetlamp (n.) – A lamp that lights a street

📖 Cultural Story

Latin 'strata via' (paved road) shortened to 'street'. Romans built extensive paved networks. Today, streets are central to urban life, hosting markets, parades, and social interactions.