gateway

American  

[geyt-wey] / ˈgeɪtˌweɪ /

noun

1. an entrance or passage that may be closed by a gate.

2. a structure for enclosing such an opening or entrance.

3. any passage by or point at which a region may be entered.

   New York soon became the gateway to America.

4. Digital Technology.

   1. software or hardware that connects two disparate computer networks, as to enable the passage of information between a home or business network and the internet.

   2. software that facilitates digital communication of text messages over cellular telephone networks.

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adjective

1. relating to or noting an ingested substance, habit, activity, etc., that is relatively free of bad effects but may lead to more dangerous or extreme choices.

   sweet gateway drinks that mask the taste of alcohol;

   gateway gadgets that seem simple enough, but tempt you to buy expensive accessories.

gateway British  

/ ˈɡeɪtˌweɪ /

noun

1. an entrance that may be closed by or as by a gate

2. a means of entry or access

   Mumbai, gateway to India

3. (modifier) allowing entry, access, or progress to a more extreme form

   gateway drug

   gateway drink

4. computing hardware and software that connect incompatible computer networks, allowing information to be passed from one to another

5. a software utility that enables text messages to be sent and received over digital cellular telephone networks

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Etymology

Origin of gateway

First recorded in 1700–10; gate ¹ + way ¹

Explanation

A gateway is an opening or entrance of a gate that swings open and shut. People also use the word gateway to describe the entryway into anything, like school could be your gateway to opportunity. Study hard. Gateways are similar to doorways, with the obvious difference being the gate that you open to pass through, rather than a door. You can also use this word in a figurative way, to mean "entrance," or "means of access." For example, you could say, "That huge bank building is the gateway to the city's financial district," or "Delhi is the gateway to South Asia."

Example Sentences

"Modern hunter-gatherer groups often see caves as a gateway into the spirit world, and this may be why we see so many caves used for burial by Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in northern Europe."

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

A difficult final exam, and maybe another gateway to the postseason.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

The SpaceX deal brings higher usage limits to Claude Code and the Claude API, or the gateway that allows developers to build their own tools on top of Claude.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

An overreliance on the site for educational content has created a gateway for students to view other videos, some of them inappropriate, on school-issued devices.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

I was all the time afraid she’d turn and look at us, but she didn’t, and then she was going in through her little gateway.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro