pathway

From Middle English pathwei, equivalent to path +‎ way. Cognate with German Pfadweg, Afrikaans padweg.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɑːθˌweɪ/
• (US, Northern England) IPA^(key): /ˈpæθˌweɪ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

pathway (plural pathways)

1. A footpath or other path or track.

   Hyponyms: cowpath, desire path, footpath; more

   follow the pathway

   go down the pathway

   on the pathway

   • 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, “The Winged Monkeys”, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M. Hill Co., →OCLC, page 167:

     YOU WILL REMEMBER there was no road—not even a pathway—between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City.

2. (biochemistry) A sequence of biochemical compounds, and the reactions linking them, that describe a process in metabolism or catabolism.
3. (figurative) A course of action.

   the pathway to success

• Joe Miller (2018 January 24) “Davos jargon: A crime against the English language?”, in BBC News‎, BBC