passageway

American  

[pas-ij-way] / ˈpæs ɪdʒˌweɪ /

noun

• passageways
  plural

1. a way for passing into, through, or out of something, as within a building or between buildings; a corridor, hall, alley, catwalk, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   walk, path, access, passage

2. a corridor on a ship.

---

passageway British  

/ ˈpæsɪdʒˌweɪ /

noun

1. a way, esp one in or between buildings; passage

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• passageways
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of passageway

First recorded in 1640–50; passage ¹ + way ¹

---

Explanation

A passageway is a hall or a walkway that connects one area to another. You might pass from a small museum through a passageway to an outdoor sculpture garden, for example. Passageways typically connect rooms or buildings to each other, and they're generally walled and slightly narrow. A passageway in a hotel might lead from an elevator to your fancy suite, and a castle might be full of stone passageways leading from room to room, some of them hidden in the walls. This noun is American in origin, from passage and its French root passer, "to go by" and way, "road or path."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

passageway passageways

The 1,200-square-foot Ship Wreck House has three decks and pirate details, such as a water cannon and secret passageway leading to a treasure-themed chamber with a skeleton and a chest of doubloons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Prabowo said on Monday that Indonesia and Singapore "have an interest in keeping the Strait of Malacca as a free passageway".

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

A limited number of ships can cross a northern passageway with the permission of Iranian authorities, he said.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

Oil-producing Middle Eastern countries are exploring overland alternatives to the passageway, such as new pipelines or pipeline expansions, and energy-importing countries have sought alternatives to crude or alternatives to their supplies of crude.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

The ogress filled the subterranean passageway, blocking out much of the light filtering in from the opening.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

Readers accompany Muratov as he explores museums and chapels, squares and passageways in Italian cities both large and small.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

As lights flickered on along the passageways, I followed my guide further inside.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

The move could bring some barrels back into circulation relatively quickly as one of the world’s major maritime passageways, the Strait of Hormuz, remains effectively shut.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026

Code 22-1307, which prohibits individuals from crowding or obstructing streets, sidewalks, building entrances, or other passageways, and D.C.

From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2025

I continued to refer to the Zork notes in my grail diary, which reminded me exactly how to make my way through the game’s labyrinth of rooms, passageways, and puzzles.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• hallway
• passage
• walkway

---