Kerbs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A low wall or stone edging along a street or pathway that serves to delineate the area or act as a barrier
2. The raised edge of a sidewalk that defines pedestrian space and separates it from vehicular traffic
3. An architectural element designed to control water runoff and enhance safety by clearly marking walkable areas in urban settings

Etymology: The British spelling "kerb" is the plural form "kerbs" here, and it is a variant of "curb," the same word American English keeps in its original spelling. Both come from a sense of "curb" meaning a raised border or frame, which is what the stone edging along a street is. The spelling difference is the interesting part. "Curb" and "curve" are doublets, meaning they descend from the same ancestor but reached English by different routes and took on different meanings. "Curve" carries the idea of bending, while "curb" in its border sense refers to a frame that holds something in place. Dictionaries list the kerb spelling as the British form, so a British writer will spell the plural "kerbs" where an American writer writes "curbs." Both forms refer to the same stone or concrete edge, which marks where the pavement ends and the roadway begins. The word's core idea is containment: the edge holds the walkway in its shape, and pedestrians stay on the side of it that was built for them.

Synonyms: curbs, edges, borders, sidewalk edges