path

¹

[ path, pahth ]

noun

, plural paths [pa, th, z, pah, th, z, paths, pahths].

1. a way beaten, formed, or trodden by the feet of persons or animals.

   Synonyms: pathway, footpath

2. a narrow walk or way:

   a path through a garden; a bicycle path.

3. a route, course, or track along which something moves:

   the path of a hurricane.

4. a course of action, conduct, or procedure:

   the path of righteousness.

5. Mathematics. a continuous curve that connects two or more points.
6. Computers. the sequence of steps that a computer follows in carrying out a routine, as in storing and retrieving a file at a specific location.

path-

²

1. variant of patho- before a vowel:

   pathosis.

-path

³

1. a combining form occurring in personal nouns corresponding to abstract nouns ending in -pathy, with the general sense “one practicing such a treatment” ( osteopath ) or “one having such an ailment” ( psychopath ).

path.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. pathological.
2. pathology.

path.

¹

/ pæθ /

abbreviation for

1. pathological
2. pathology

path

²

/ pɑːθ /

noun

1. a road or way, esp a narrow trodden track
2. a surfaced walk, as through a garden
3. the course or direction in which something moves

   the path of a whirlwind

4. a course of conduct

   the path of virtue

5. computing the directions for reaching a particular file or directory, as traced hierarchically through each of the parent directories usually from the root; the file or directoryand all parent directories are separated from one another in the path by slashes

-path

³

combining form

1. denoting a person suffering from a specified disease or disorder

   neuropath

2. denoting a practitioner of a particular method of treatment

   osteopath

Derived Forms

• ˈpathless, adjective

Other Words From

• multi·path noun
• outpath noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of path¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English pæth; cognate with German Pfad

Word History and Origins

Origin of path¹

Old English pæth; related to Old High German, German Pfad

Origin of path²

back formation from -pathy

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. cross one's path, to encounter or meet unexpectedly:

   Tragedy crossed our path again.

More idioms and phrases containing path

see beat a path to someone's door ; cross someone's path ; lead down the garden path ; least resistance, path of ; on the warpath .

Synonym Study

Path, lane, trail are passages or routes not as wide as a way or road. A path is a way for passing on foot; a track, beaten by feet, not specially constructed, is often along the side of a road: a path through a field. A lane is a narrow road or track, generally between fields, often enclosed with fences or trees; sometimes it is an alley or narrow road between buildings in towns: a lane leading to a farmhouse; Drury Lane. A trail is a rough way made or worn through woods, or across mountains, prairies, or other untraveled regions: an Indian trail.

Example Sentences

"Methane can be a really interesting product, but the most important thing is that this opens a path to develop more processes to convert captured CO2 into other products," he said.

From Science Daily

It is about choosing a path that doesn’t result in more harm to vulnerable communities.

From Los Angeles Times

“There certainly are extremely difficult choices and tradeoffs to be made, but we believe that there are ample opportunities to create a fair path to solutions that work for the entire basin,” federal Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton told reporters in a conference call.

From Los Angeles Times

The options the federal government has outlined, he said, “provide essentially a platform to reach a consensus path.”

From Los Angeles Times

But by exploring other uses of sugar, we can highlight what environmental benefits we are missing out on and help policymakers map a resource-efficient path forward to the industry while improving public health.

From Salon

Related Words

• aisle
• avenue
• direction
• highway
• lane
• line
• passage
• pathway
• procedure
• rail
• road
• roadway
• route
• street
• track
• trail
• walkway

Words That Use -path

What does -path mean?

The combining form -path is used like a suffix to mean either “one administering a treatment” or “one suffering from such an ailment.” It is the personal noun form of words ending in -pathy, which means variously “suffering,” “disease,” and “treatment of disease.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in pathology.

The form -path ultimately comes from Greek pátheia, meaning “suffering” or “feeling.” It shares an origin with the English word pathos. You can learn more about the meaning of pathos at our entry for the word.

What are variants of -path?

While -path doesn’t have any immediate variants, it is closely related to three other combining forms, -pathia, -pathic, and -pathy. Want to know more? Check out our Words That Use entries for all three forms.

Examples of -path

One example of a word you may have come across that features the form -path is sociopath, “a person with a psychopathic personality whose behavior is antisocial, often criminal, and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.”

The socio- portion of the word means “social” or “society,” from Latin socius. Because -path means, roughly, “one suffering from such an ailment,” sociopath literally means “one suffering from social disease.”

What are some words that use the combining form -path?

• allopath (using the equivalent form of -path in German)
• homeopath
• naturopath
• neuropath
• osteopath
• psychopath

What are some other forms that -path may be commonly confused with?

• -pathy
• -pathia
• -pathic
• -phagy
• -plast

Not every word that ends with the exact letters -path, such as glidepath, is necessarily using the combining form -path to denote “someone suffering from a disease.” Learn why glidepaths are important for airplanes at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The combining form neuro- means “nervous system.” With this in mind, what characterizes a medical patient known as a neuropath?

More About Path

What is a basic definition of path?​

A path is a way formed by people or animals, a narrow track, or a route that something takes. Path has a few other senses as a noun.

A path is an improvised trail that has been created by people or animals repeatedly following it. A path through the woods, for example, may simply be ground worn down to packed dirt. Paths like these are not planned but often result from many people or animals taking the same way through a place and moving any debris or objects, such as rocks, that may have once been in the way.

• Real-life examples: Hikers often navigate paths through forests and mountainous areas. It is wise to avoid paths that appear to have been made by dangerous animals, like wolves or bears.
• Used in a sentence: We followed a dirt path through the woods. 

The word path is also used to refer to narrow walkways or tracks created intentionally. These kinds of paths are usually created for a specific purpose, such as a garden path or a bicycle path.

• Used in a sentence: She walked up the cobblestone path to her uncle’s house. 

Path can also mean a route or course that something takes. This sense is used both literally to mean actual walking or moving and figuratively to mean a way of life or course of action.

• Real-life examples: Meteorologists track the paths of hurricanes, tornados, and thunderstorms. A runaway train is likely to destroy everything in its path. Students pursue many different career paths after finishing their studies.
• Used in a sentence: I made sure to be far away from the path of the angry bull. 

Where does path come from?

The first records of the word path come from before the 900s. It ultimately comes from the Old English pæth and is related to the German Pfad.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to path?

• pathless (adjective)
• multipath (noun)
• outpath (noun)

What are some synonyms for path?

• way
• course
• trail
• route
• track

What are some words that share a root or word element with path? 

• pathway
• pathfinder
• pathbreaker
• footpath
• cross someone’s path
• path of least resistance

What are some words that often get used in discussing path?

• walk
• dirt
• woods
• mountains
• hills
• bicycle
• garden

How is path used in real life?

Path is a common word that means literal or figurative routes that things take.

We are always on a journey in life. Let us choose the path of God! We will discover that there are no unexpected events, no uphill path, and no night that cannot be faced with Jesus.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 16, 2021

We each have different lessons to learn. We each take a different path to our lessons.

— Iyanla Vanzant (@IyanlaVanzant) February 22, 2018

My one encounter with a badger was on a walk in Ashdown Forest. It ran across the path in front of me and barged into some bushes. Did make me jump.

— Amanda 💙 (@Blodeuweddmoon) January 19, 2021

Try using path!

True or False?

A city that is in the path of a tornado is far away from where the tornado will go.