path

[path, pahth]

noun, plural paths [pathz, pahthz, paths, pahths] /pæðz, pɑðz, pæθs, pɑθs/.

a way beaten, formed, or trodden by the feet of persons or animals.

a narrow walk or way: a path through a garden; a bicycle path.

a route, course, or track along which something moves: the path of a hurricane.

a course of action, conduct, or procedure: the path of righteousness.

Mathematics. a continuous curve that connects two or more points.

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.

Idioms

cross one's path, to encounter or meet unexpectedly: Tragedy crossed our path again.

Origin of path

before 900; Middle English; Old English pæth; cognate with German Pfad

Related formsmul·ti·path, nounout·path, noun

Synonyms for path

1. footpath, pathway. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for multipath

multipath

adjective

relating to television or radio signals that travel by more than one route from a transmitter and arrive at slightly different times, causing ghost images or audio distortion

path

noun plural paths (pɑːðz)

a road or way, esp a narrow trodden track

a surfaced walk, as through a garden

the course or direction in which something movesthe path of a whirlwind

a course of conductthe path of virtue

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

Derived Formspathless, adjective

Word Origin for path

Old English pæth; related to Old High German, German Pfad

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for multipath

path

Old English paþ, pæþ "path, track," from West Germanic *patha- (cf. Old Frisian path, Middle Dutch pat, Dutch pad, Old High German pfad, German Pfad "path"), of unknown origin. The original initial -p- in a Germanic word is an etymological puzzle. Watkins says the word is "probably borrowed (? via Scythian) from Iranian *path-," from PIE root *pent- "to tread, go, pass" (cf. Avestan patha "way;" see find (v.)), but this is too much of a stretch for OED and others. In Scotland and Northern England, commonly a steep ascent of a hill or in a road.

Idioms and Phrases with multipath

path

see beat a path to someone's door; cross someone's path; lead down the garden path; least resistance, path of; on the warpath.