abutment
The part of a structure that directly receives thrust or pressure, such as a masonry mass receiving and supporting the thrust of part of an arch or vault; a heavy wall supporting the end of a bridge or span and sustaining the pressure of the abutting earth; a mass or structure resisting the pressure of water on a bridge or pier; or the anchorage for the cables of a suspension bridge.
First 10 image search results of abutment architecture
Jargon of the day: negative/positive space
See: Solid/Void
