passageway

American  

[pas-ij-wey] / ˈpæs ɪdʒˌweɪ /

noun

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.

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passageway British  

/ ˈpæsɪdʒˌweɪ /

noun

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

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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

Reports say the deal could allow "unrestricted" passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran would have 30 days to remove mines from the narrow shipping passageway.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

It’s a single narrow passageway that hugs the coast of Oman, according to the Defense Department.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Their aim is to deny Tehran control over the strait, a narrow, 21-mile-wide passageway through which a fifth of global energy supplies flows.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Iran blocked two Chinese tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passageway for 20% of the world’s oil, highlighting its control.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

My form teacher led me down the gloomy passageway leading to the staff room.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Related Words

• hallway
• passage
• walkway