pathway

The word “pathway” means a path or track, especially one leading somewhere specific. In plain terms, a literal walking track, or a figurative route — a biological process or a planned course toward a goal.

“Pathway” is pronounced PAHTH-way (/ˈpæθˌweɪ/ in IPA).

Here is “pathway” used in a sentence: “A stone pathway led to the front door.”

“Pathway” is a noun.

The word “pathway” comes from Middle English. From Middle English pathwei, a combination of "path" and "way.".

“Pathway” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Pathway” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a path or track, especially one leading somewhere specific.

Pathway and path both describe a track leading somewhere, but pathway often sounds slightly more formal and is commonly used in planned, designed, or figurative contexts, such as "career pathway" or "metabolic pathway." Path is the more general, everyday term for a physical track.

In science, particularly biology, pathway refers to a series of chemical reactions in the body, such as a metabolic pathway that converts one substance into another through several steps. This differs from the physical sense of a track leading somewhere.

Pathway is often used figuratively to describe a planned course of action or progression toward a goal, as in "career pathway" or "pathway to citizenship." This extends the literal sense of a physical track into an abstract route toward an outcome.