# abutment

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈbʌt.mn̩t/ · frequency rank #62,652

## Definitions
1. The point of junction between two things, in particular a support, that abuts.
2. The solid portion of a structure that supports the lateral pressure of an arch or vault.
3. A construction that supports the ends of a bridge; a structure that anchors the cables on a suspension bridge.
4. The part of a valley or canyon wall against which a dam is constructed.
5. Something that abuts, or on which something abuts.
6. The state of abutting.
7. That element that shares a common boundary or surface with its neighbor.
8. The tooth that supports a denture or bridge.
9. A fixed point or surface where resistance is obtained.

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

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/abutment