Skip to content

chaussée

roadway

noun shoh-SEH Rare

Origin: Medieval Latin 'via calciata' (paved road)

Also means

causeway

Usage Note

Chaussée refers specifically to the paved surface of a road or street — the part vehicles travel on, as opposed to the trottoir (pavement/sidewalk). It also appears in the phrase rez-de-chaussée (ground floor), literally 'level of the roadway'. Historical usage includes raised causeways over marshland.

Examples

"Ralentissez, la chaussée est glissante."

Natural Translation

Slow down, the roadway is slippery.

Explore French by topic