'ave' (abbreviation) derives from Modern English use as a shortened form of 'avenue'. 'Avenue' itself comes from Old French 'avenue', from the verb 'avenir' (to come to), ultimately from Latin 'adventus' meaning 'arrival'. The interjection 'Ave' originates from Classical Latin 'avē', a salutation meaning 'hail'.

'Avenue' entered English from Old French 'avenue' and became the Modern English 'avenue'. Separately, Latin 'avē' was used in antiquity as a greeting and was preserved in ecclesiastical and literary contexts as 'Ave'.

For the street sense, the root originally related to 'coming' or 'arrival' and evolved into the noun for a way or approach ('avenue'); the abbreviation 'ave' simply shortens that modern noun. The Latin salutation originally meant 'hail' and has retained that basic sense in later use.