abutment

Pronunciation: /əˈbʌt.mn̩t/

The English word “abutment” has 9 meanings listed here.

noun

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

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

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.