Of roads, streets, avenues and the like

I've never been clear on why certain roads are called precisely that, while others are 'streets' or 'drives' or whatever. Now, an article over at Mental Floss answers the question. Here's an excerpt.

Although both terms are often applied to the same thing, a road is different from a street, at least in theory. Looking at the definitions and history of the usage of the words, the difference is a matter of place and purpose.

Roads run between two distant points — two towns, for example. In each of those towns, you’ll find streets: paved roads lined with houses and other buildings. It used to be the paving and the buildings that made a street a street, but today you’ll find many paved roads that have buildings on them (I grew up on Wisteria Road). Modern sticklers for usage will tell you that what sets streets apart today is the street life that comes with them. On Main Street in a given town, you might find people walking their dogs, having lunch in a sidewalk cafe, waiting for a friend on the corner, or simply people watching. On the road connecting Town A to Town B, you’re not likely to find any of this.

The term street, then, should be specifically applied to urban roadways. Streets connect people for interaction, while roads connect towns and cities for travel.

In the real world, though, these distinctions aren’t always made.

There's more at the link, including many more definitions of road-related terms such as avenue, boulevard and court. Interesting and useful information.

Peter