way station

noun

1. a station intermediate between principal stations, as on a railroad.

Word History and Origins

Origin of way station¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

In the end of that book a couple of characters die and they are at this way station to figure out if they are going to go to heaven.

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than as a permanent habitat, early humans probably used this volcanic cave as a way station during migrations between oases.

From New York Times

In spring, two dozen species of shorebirds use the refuge as a way station — primarily Western sandpipers and dunlin.

From Seattle Times

“So they use us as a premeditated way station. They come to Southwest, get hired, trained, spend six months and then they flip their résumé and apply somewhere else.”

From Seattle Times

Kalamazoo, a small city in Western Michigan, is a way station along the drug trafficking corridor between Chicago and Detroit.

From New York Times