path

¹

[path, pahth]

noun

plural

paths 

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

1. pathological.

2. pathology.

path

¹

/ 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

²

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

path.

³

/ pæθ /

abbreviation

1. pathological

2. pathology

Other Word Forms

• pathless adjective
• multipath noun
• outpath 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.

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

Ambitious, driven and desperate to change her station in life, Aishe contemplates marriage, hoping for a path to legal status, though the only free advice she can get from an immigration lawyer is to be careful about whom she marries.

From Los Angeles Times

District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the assault on the university brazenly violated the First Amendment by mandating conformity with the administration’s views—though she also set Harvard on a winding path of additional litigation to restore the canceled grants.

From Slate

“You constantly look at how you’re going to carve the path forward,” said Chris Forbes, the team’s director of player development.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think there is going to be a short-term fluctuation in the trend that ultimately corrects itself and resumes the path it was on while Netanyahu is in power,” he said.

From Salon

She will be remembered for that hug with Novotná, her dignity and quiet compassion, and as a reluctant royal, who eventually decided that her true path lay in teaching children to love music.

From BBC

Related Words

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

When To Use

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. 

When To Use

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.