Meanings
- 1
-
2
noun
A road that is raised so as to be above water, marshland, and similar low-lying obstacles, which in some cases may flood periodically (e.g. due to tides). Originally causeways were much like dykes, generally pierced to let water through, whereas many modern causeways are more like bridges or viaducts.
1836, Account of the Old Bridge at Stratford-le-Bow in Essex from Alfred Burges, Esq. addressed to Sir Henry Ellis https://archive.org/details/archaeologiaorm01londgoog . . .the passage over the water of the Luye at Stratford atte Bowe, anciently used to be in a certain place which is called the Old Forde, which is distant from the place where the bridges and causeway now are nearly one mile, at which passage many persons passing over it at divers times were drowned, and in great danger, and when after so much danger came to the knowledge of Lady Matilda, Queen of England […].
- 3
- 4
From Middle English cawcewey, with the first element from Middle English cauce, from Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French caucee or Old French caucie, cauchie (“route, highway”), from Vulgar Latin *calciāta (compare modern French chaussée from Old French chaucie, itself from the same source), either from Latin calx, calcis (“limestone”), or alternatively from Latin calciō (“to stamp with the heels, tread”), from calx (“heel”). The second element corresponds to English way.