What does abutment mean?
An abutment is a solid structure — usually of masonry or concrete — that supports the end of an arch, bridge, or vault and absorbs the sideways thrust those structures generate. When a bridge spans a river, the heavy masses anchoring it to each bank are its abutments; without them, the arch would spread and collapse. The word also appears in dentistry, where an abutment is a tooth or implant post that anchors a bridge or crown, and more loosely to describe any surface against which something else presses. Largely technical in register, it belongs to the vocabulary of engineers, architects, and dental professionals rather than everyday speech. Its power lies in a simple physical idea: forces must go somewhere, and the abutment is where they are safely received. The term derives from the verb 'abut', meaning to border or press against, itself rooted in Old French 'abouter' — to join end to end.
nounA structure built to support or receive the thrust of an arch, bridge, or vault, especially the masonry at each end of a bridge span. More generally, a point or surface of contact where one thing abuts against another.
- The masonry or concrete structure at either end of a bridge, arch, or vault that supports it and resists its horizontal thrust.
- In dentistry, a tooth or implant that anchors a bridge, crown, or denture.
- The point or surface where two things touch or adjoin; the act of abutting.
"The new bridge rests on massive concrete abutments sunk deep into the riverbank."
"Engineers reinforced the aging abutment before installing the wider span."
"The dental technician fitted a custom abutment to anchor the new crown."
Regular plural; commonly used when describing both ends of a bridge or multiple supporting teeth.
"Both abutments were inspected for cracks after the earthquake."
Every arch you've ever walked under has been quietly pushing outward for centuries — and it's the humble abutment that keeps it from pushing itself apart.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of abutment
Abutment comes from the verb 'abut', which entered English in the late Middle Ages from Anglo-French 'abuter', derived from Old French 'abouter' meaning 'to join end to end'. The Old French verb combines 'a-' (from Latin 'ad', toward) with 'bout' (end), related to 'bouter', to thrust or strike. The noun form developed as a technical term in building and engineering, first appearing in English in the early modern period, and was later adopted by dentistry for the anchoring element of fixed prostheses.
Related word forms
How abutment is actually used
Primarily a technical term used in civil engineering, architecture, and dentistry; rare in everyday conversation. In engineering contexts it carries no figurative connotation, though writers occasionally use it metaphorically to suggest firm support.
Easily confused with abutment
A buttress is a support projecting from a wall to resist lateral force, while an abutment is typically a terminal structure at the end of an arch, bridge, or vault that receives its thrust.
A pier is an intermediate support between spans of a bridge, whereas an abutment is at the ends of the structure, connecting it to the ground.