path
[path, pahth]
- 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.
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- cross one's path, to encounter or meet unexpectedly: Tragedy crossed our path again.
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Origin of path
before 900; Middle English; Old English pæth; cognate with German Pfad
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com1. 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.
path-
- variant of patho- before a vowel: pathosis.
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-path
- a combining form occurring in personal nouns corresponding to abstract nouns ending in -pathy, with the general sense “one practicing such a treatment” (osteopath) or “one suffering from such an ailment” (psychopath).
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path.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
roadwayaislelaneproceduretrackrouteraildirectionpassagetrailstreethighwaylineavenueroadwalkwaypathwayrutboulevardthoroughfareExamples from the Web for path
Contemporary Examples
We see detoxing as a path to transcendence, a symbol of modern urban virtue and self-transformation through abstinence.
The anti-crime cops began searching the likely path of flight.
Rubio has his own troubles with immigration, but people close to him said he still may have a path even with a Bush candidacy.
How A Jeb Bush Candidacy Would Hurt Chris Christie And Shake Up The 2016 GOP FieldDavid Freedlander
December 16, 2014
The other person for whom a path to the nomination, let alone a candidacy, seems much less likely is Mitt Romney.
How A Jeb Bush Candidacy Would Hurt Chris Christie And Shake Up The 2016 GOP FieldDavid Freedlander
December 16, 2014
The path may be there, but current travelers to Sudan face a bureaucratic nightmare of permits and road blocks.
Historical Examples
A stream of water, pure as crystal, flowed along the path, from the summit to the base.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
He had entered into the path of dishonesty, and he was forced to keep on in it.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
Miss Milbrey had put herself bravely in the path of Destiny.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
At least they will be my standard of conduct in the path before me.
We are charged with the sacred duty of making their path as smooth and easy as we can.
path
- 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
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Word Origin
Old English pæth; related to Old High German, German Pfad
path.
- pathological
- pathology
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-path
- denoting a person suffering from a specified disease or disorderneuropath
- denoting a practitioner of a particular method of treatmentosteopath
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Word Origin
back formation from -pathy
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 path
n.
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.
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-path
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
-path
- A practitioner of a specified kind of medical treatment:naturopath.
- One affected by a specified kind of disorder:sociopath.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Idioms and Phrases with path
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.
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.