A sidewalk (North American English), pavement (British English), footpath (Oceanian English), or footway, is a path along the side of a road. Usually constructed of concrete or asphalt, it is designed for pedestrians.

Why do Americans say sidewalk instead of pavement?

Sidewalk is basically the side of the road where you can walk. ... T: Pavement refers to the paved area of the road that's designed exclusively for pedestrians. It's taken from the Latin pavimentum, which means “trodden down floor.” Trodden on because it's for pedestrians.

Is sidewalk a British term for pavement?

It is called a sidewalk in American English, but can also be called a pavement (mainly British English and South African English), a footpath (Australian English, Irish English, Indian English and New Zealand English) or footway (Engineering term). ... Sidewalks can be made of bricks or from tarmac.