Dictionary

abutment en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈbʌt.mn̩t/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈbʌt.mn̩t/ (US)

Etymology

First attested in 1644; engineering sense first attested in 1793. From Old French aboutement. Equivalent to abut + -ment.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The point of junction between two things, in particular a support, that abuts.
2. (countable, uncountable) The solid portion of a structure that supports the lateral pressure of an arch or vault.
3. (countable, uncountable) A construction that supports the ends of a bridge; a structure that anchors the cables on a suspension bridge.
   • Each of the bridges consists of six separate girder spans on brick abutments. 1959 May, “Talking of Trains: Bethnal Green alterations”, in Trains Illustrated, page 236:
4. (countable, uncountable) The part of a valley or canyon wall against which a dam is constructed.
   • Heavy rains have caused the dam's abutments to seep, raising concern over possible dam failure.
5. (countable, uncountable) Something that abuts, or on which something abuts.
6. (countable, uncountable) The state of abutting.
7. (countable, uncountable) That element that shares a common boundary or surface with its neighbor.
8. (countable, uncountable) The tooth that supports a denture or bridge.
9. (countable, uncountable) A fixed point or surface where resistance is obtained.
   • The fulcrum acted as an abutment.

Forms

Translations (29)

de Angrenzen (state of abutting) · eo abutmento (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · fi tukeminen (state of abutting) · ia conjuncto (state of abutting) · bg допирна точка (point of junction that abuts) · io abutmento (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · id abutmen (engineering: support for the ends of a bridge) · fi tukimuuri (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · fi tuki (state of abutting) · pl przyczółek (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · es estribo (state of abutting) · fi tukipiste (fixed point or surface where resistance is obtained) · fi vastikemuuri (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · fi tukihammas (dentistry: tooth that supports a denture or bridge) · pl przyczółek (architecture: element that shares a common boundary or surface with its neighbor) · id abutmen (dentistry: tooth that supports a denture or bridge) · id kepala jembatan (engineering: support for the ends of a bridge) · it rinfianco (state of abutting) · fi tukipiste (point of junction that abuts) · fr butée (state of abutting) · it ponte (dentistry: tooth that supports a denture or bridge) · fi tuki (something that abuts, or on which something abuts) · bg подпора (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · ia confinamento (state of abutting) · es estribo (engineering: support for the ends of a bridge) · fi maatuki (engineering: support for the ends of a bridge) · nl steunbeer (architecture: support for an arch or vault) · io abutmento (architecture: element that shares a common boundary or surface with its neighbor) · bg брегови устои (engineering: support for the ends of a bridge)