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

Steve Clarke needs snookers to make the path smoother as a result.

From BBC

Once an ember ignites vegetation near the bottom, the flames can quickly scale both sides and rising heat dries out the vegetation ahead, practically clearing a path for the fire to race through.

From Los Angeles Times

Some officials anticipated a challenging path through the Senate given his short CV that does not include much work on national security or foreign policy issues.

From BBC

But in September, he wrote that this was only a possibility "so long as it is not smothered by bureaucracy" and claimed Doge was "the only path to extending life beyond Earth".

From BBC

“Because everything comes from something, whether it be a bad experience or a trauma or something that has led you to want to go down the wrong path. It’s nice that we as audience members get to have that conversation with ourselves when watching characters like these as a reminder that you are one decision away from doing a bad thing.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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