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Glite Dictionary
cantilever bridge

cantilever bridge

5.8
A bridge made of beams that stick out from supports and meet in the middle to hold the road
  • noun
  • /ˈkæntɪˌlivər brɪdʒ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : puente voladizo
  • Have you seen the cantilever bridges in Tokyo?

Examples

  • The Forth Bridge in Scotland is a famous cantilever bridge and a marvel of engineering.

  • During our hike, we walked across a cantilever bridge with scenic views of the landscape.

  • Engineers chose a cantilever bridge design to span the wide river without central supports.

  • Heavy traffic crosses the cantilever bridge every day, making it an essential part of the local infrastructure.

  • The new cantilever bridge opened last month.

  • The architect designed a stunning cantilever bridge that gracefully spans the river.

  • The cantilever bridge swayed gently as we drove across it, showcasing its engineering marvel.

Synonyms

bridge
vscantilever bridge
∞ 1.0

A structure built across water, like a river, to carry people or vehicles

is a specific type built from projecting beams from piers that meet midspan

Surface Forms

cantilever bridge singular
cantilever bridges plural

Morphology

cantilever + bridge

The meaning is directly compositional: a 'cantilever bridge' is simply a bridge that is built from cantilevers (structures supported at one end). Given the provided definitions, a B1 learner who knows 'cantilever' and 'bridge' can reasonably infer this constructional meaning, and the noun+noun compound pattern is a regular, cross-linguistically common formation.

Etymology

Cantilever bridge comes from a clear picture: long cantilevers, strong beams that stick out from tall supports, reach toward each other and meet in the middle to hold the road. So the image of beams sticking out and joining explains why the term means a bridge that can 'cross a wide gap without supports in the middle'.