Word of the Day
26 May 2026
butment
nounConstruction
The mass of stone or solid work at the end of a bridge, by which the extreme arches are sustained, or by which the end of a bridge without arches is supported.
Why this one
An older clipped spelling of abutment, still found in survey notes and old bridge records. Its job is to take the arch's outward thrust, not just its weight, which is why it is built as mass rather than slender support.
In use
The deck's fine, it's the north butment that's shifted; you can see the joint opening up at the wingwall.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.Sources
- Definition sourceWiktionary