Abbreviation for Boulevard: What Is It and How Is It Used in a Sentence?

Ever walked along a street that’s lined with trees swaying under a cool breeze? This is the kind of experience one gets when walking down a boulevard.

In this article, we’ll focus on the origin, definition, synonyms, abbreviations, and correct usage of the word boulevard.

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What Is the Abbreviation of Boulevard?

Boulevard

Noun

There is one common way to abbreviate the word: Blvd.

Secondary abbreviations, normally only used for high speed writing include boul. and boulv. These abbreviations do not appear in common usage. 

Examples: 

Whenever I want to be alone, I walk down the blvd. and enjoy the feel of the fresh air and the beautiful melodies from the birds.

Of late, more people can be seen hanging around Queens Blvd. in New York. 

Ever walked along a street that’s lined with trees swaying under a cool breeze? This is the kind of experience one gets when walking down a boulevard.

What Does Boulevard Mean?

In some regions of the United States, a boulevard describes a piece of land lying between a property line and a pavement edge of the pavement or curb of the road. Although these are technically units of public land, they fall under the management of the property owners. Boulevards run parallel to the streets.

The authorities normally fit main connections for sewer lines, viaducts, and gas lines along these boulevard strips. These areas impact the overall appearance of the street. Their proper maintenance ensures that sightlines are protected. They offer protection to the trees and preserve the beauty of the streets. Also, a boulevard may run along the shore of a lake or river. 

According to Wikipedia, a boulevard is a large road running through a city. In the United States, it can also refer to a wide street divided by a central median with trees and greenery. Along each side, you’ll sometimes see parking lanes and paths for pedestrian traffic and bicycles.

Another definition is a wide street in a city or town, lined with trees on each side.  

The History of Boulevards

The word originated from Middle French boulevard, from old French bollevart (promenade, avenue, and rampart), from Middle Dutch bollewerc (bulwark or bastion), and from Middle Dutch bole, bolle (bole, plant, or tree trunk). 

The French called the flat part of a wall a boulevard. The word is borrowed from the Middle Dutch word bolwerc, a compound of bolle, tree trunk, and werk, structure. The word bolwerc gave rise to the English word bulwark, which means a defensive wall.  

In French, boulevard means “rampart”’ or “defensive embankment.” It also refers to a broad street, lined with trees and grass plots. In other words, it’s a well-landscaped thoroughfare.  

According to Merriam Webster, the English word boulevard dates back to 1763. 

Synonyms for Boulevard

  • Access road  
  • Arterial 
  • Alley  
  • Ave
  • Avenue
  • Drive 
  • Driveway  
  • Seafront  
  • Square  
  • The whole street  
  • High street  
  • Lane  
  • Main drag 
  • Main Street 
  • Plaza  
  • Row  
  • Street 
  • Mall
  • Road
  • Thoroughfare
  • Concourse 

The Postal Abbreviation

In the United States, the abbreviation for boulevard (Blvd.) is listed in the USPS directory, alongside other abbreviations. 

BLVD BLVD
BOUL BLVD
BOULEVARD  BLVD
BOULV BLVD

According to the U.S. Postal Service, BLVD is the preferred abbreviation. 

Examples of the Word in Context

“The Oscars take place on the Boulevard—or more specifically, the Dolby Theater, which resides on the 2.5-mile Hollywood Walk of Fame. This happens to be the No. 1 tourist attraction in Los Angeles, attracting over 25 million people annually, according to city officials. (It’s No. 2 for Southern California when you factor in Disneyland of Anaheim.”
—USA Today

“The location is significant, the city said, because Obama held his first campaign rally in Los Angeles on February 20, 2007, at Rancho Cienega Park. The park sits on Rodeo Road, right across from W. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. ‘For every child who will drive down this street and see the name of the first Black President of our country, this boulevard will serve as a physical reminder that no goal is out of reach and that no dream is too big,’ tweeted City Council President Herb Wesson after the renaming Saturday.”
—CNN

“One of the world’s great urban wonders, this Boulevard is perhaps the most famous in the world. It inspired so many others throughout Europe and the New World, stretching from a great public square to a major landmark (the Triumphal Arch), and lined with graceful buildings, cafés and stores.”
—UCityGuides.com

“Derek and his wife, Maria, had closed on the six-bedroom house at 657 Boulevard three days earlier and were doing some renovations before they moved in, so there wasn’t much in the mail except a few bills and a white, card-shaped envelope.”
—The Cut

Sources:

  1. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/boulevard
  2. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/boulevard
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulevard
  4. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/boulevard#
  5. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2018/03/01/hollywood-boulevard-selfie-instagram-photos/374916002/
  6. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/05/us/los-angeles-renames-road-after-obama-trnd/index.html 
  7. https://www.ucityguides.com/cities/10-greatest-boulevards-avenues-in-the-world.html
  8. https://www.thecut.com/2018/11/the-haunting-of-657-boulevard-in-westfield-new-jersey.html
  9. https://pe.usps.com/text/pub28/28apc_002.htm