autovía
Spanish
Etymology
auto + vía
Noun
autovía f (plural autovías)
- (Spain, Argentina) dual carriageway, divided highway
- Coordinate term: autopista
Usage notes
In Spain, the autovías never have a toll, and the autopistas usually have a toll. The autovías are of poorer quality than the autopistas. The autovías have sharper/tighter curves and steeper slopes. Access and exit lanes are often shorter and do not meet the minimum length required on autopistas. It is even possible to find bus stops on the autovía itself.
Further reading
- “autovía”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014