railway

[ reyl-wey ]

noun

1. a rail line with lighter-weight equipment and roadbed than a main-line railroad.
2. a railroad, especially one operating over relatively short distances.
3. Also called trackway. any line or lines of rails rail forming a road of flanged-wheel equipment.
4. Chiefly British. railroad.

railway

/ ˈreɪlˌweɪ /

noun

1. a permanent track composed of a line of parallel metal rails fixed to sleepers, for transport of passengers and goods in trains
2. any track on which the wheels of a vehicle may run

   a cable railway

3. the entire equipment, rolling stock, buildings, property, and system of tracks used in such a transport system
4. the organization responsible for operating a railway network
5. modifier of, relating to, or used on a railway or railways

   a railway strike

   a railway engine

Other Words From

• railwayed adjective
• railwayless adjective
• inter·railway adjective
• pre·railway adjective
• un·railwayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of railway¹

First recorded in 1770–80; rail ¹ + way ¹

Example Sentences

Railway design engineer and author Gareth Dennis, who worked on the HS2 stretch through Calvert in Buckinghamshire, agreed.

From BBC

Natural England is not the only body giving consent to aspects of HS2’s railway.

From BBC

More areas of railway can be electrified, but this is costly: in 2020, Network Rail estimated electrification would cost £1m-£2.5m per kilometre of track.

From BBC

The new network will use the European railway track width and connect seamlessly with railways across the EU.

From BBC

Estonia's national auditor Janar Holm believes several more years of delays are likely: “We have to find the funds to build this railway now or it'll be even more expensive.”

From BBC

Related Words

• line
• rail line
• track