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pathway

American  
[path-wey, pahth-] / ˈpæθˌweɪ, ˈpɑθ- /

noun

  1. a path, course, route, or way. ways.

  2. Biochemistry. a sequence of reactions, usually controlled and catalyzed by enzymes, by which one organic substance is converted to another.

pathway British  
/ ˈpɑːθˌweɪ /

noun

  1. another word for path path

  2. a route to or way of access to; way of reaching or achieving something

  3. courses taken by a student to gain entry to a higher course or towards a final qualification

  4. biochem a chain of reactions associated with a particular metabolic process

"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
pathway Scientific  
/ păth′wā′ /

  1. A chain of nerve fibers along which impulses normally travel.

  2. A sequence of enzymatic or other reactions by which one biological material is converted to another.

Other Word Forms

  • pathwayed adjective

Etymology

Origin of pathway

First recorded in 1530–40; path + way 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Now, it is possible to see a pathway back down to $60 to $70 a barrel, contained inflation, lower petrol prices and calmer interest rates.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

She described the project as a “positive pathway forward” for former inmates rebuilding their lives and said efforts like this help “shift the narrative” of Compton by highlighting its “creativity, resilience and talent.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

They examined a pathway called NF-kB, which is commonly associated with aging-related diseases.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

A Dowman does wonders when you have a pathway to sell.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

As you walk down a narrow pathway that zigzags back and forth, you can see the history of the region in the various layers of rocks.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.