viaduct

viaduct — noun

1. a long bridge whose roadway is supported by a row of arches or columns, crossing

1.nounB2
Definition

a long bridge whose roadway is supported by a row of arches or columns, crossing a wide valley or low area

Example

The old stone viaduct near Liang's village still carries trains across the river every day.

carry + train/road across [obstacle]

Gabriel and his classmates studied the Roman viaduct for their history project.

Common collocations
  • stone viaduct
  • concrete viaduct
  • railway viaduct
  • road viaduct
Synonyms
  • overpass

    a shorter structure that carries one road over another, usually in a city

  • trestle

    a bridge supported by a framework of beams, often used for railways

Grammar Patterns

a/the viaduct

Usage Note

A viaduct is distinguished from a simple bridge by its length and repeated supporting arches or spans. For a short bridge over a narrow gap, use 'bridge' rather than 'viaduct'.

Common Mistakes

The train crossed a small viaduct over the creek.
The train crossed a small bridge over the creek.
A viaduct is for long spans across wide valleys, not narrow creeks.

Word family

  • via
    prepositionB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A bridge is the most general term for any structure built to cross an obstacle such as a river or road. A viaduct is a specific type of bridge — a long, multi-arch structure that spans a wide valley or low-lying ground, often carrying a railway. An overpass is a much shorter bridge that takes one road above another, common at highway intersections. A trestle is a bridge made of a braced framework of timber, steel, or concrete, typically used for railways in rough terrain. For example: 'The train slowly crossed the wooden trestle in the mountains,' while 'The highway overpass saved drivers from waiting at the traffic lights.'

viaduct ↗overpassbridge ↗trestle

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • cross a viaduct
  • build a viaduct
  • viaduct spans [something]

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'viaduct' was formed in the early 1800s from the Latin roots 'via' (road) and 'ducere' (to lead), following the pattern of the older word 'aqueduct'. It was created to describe a 'road-carrying bridge' as railways expanded across hilly landscapes.