alleyway

[al-ee-wey]

noun

1. an alley or lane.

2. a narrow passageway.

alleyway

/ ˈælɪˌweɪ /

noun

1. a narrow passage; alley

Word History and Origins

Origin of alleyway¹

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90; alley ¹ + way ¹

Example Sentences

But London’s mix of Medieval alleyways, Victorian terraces and modern roundabouts are set to pose a new challenge.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Mystified, he wanders the dank halls of their rented palazzo and the fetid alleyways of the “pestilential city” where canal waters slither past like “a fat, grey-green worm.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He said another volunteer had told him there was a "suspicious-looking man" who claimed to have been looking for a nearby pub before "disappearing" down the alleyway next to the building.

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He and his new girlfriend, Jimenez, then took Vargas to an alleyway in a nearby industrial area and began beating her.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“It used to feel like a mini-Palestine here. Streets, alleyways, shops and cafes — everything was named after places back home,” Ayoub said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What is an alleyway?

An alleyway is a narrow passage between buildings or other structures.Alleyway can also refer to a narrow path or passage behind a row of houses, such as one that allows access to garages and back yards.The word alley means the same thing.Example: We took a shortcut through the narrow alleyway between the shops.