railway

American  

[rayl-way] / ˈreɪlˌweɪ /

noun

• railways
  plural

1. a rail line with lighter-weight equipment and roadbed than a main-line railroad.

2. a railroad, especially one operating over relatively short distances.

3. Also called trackway. any line or lines of rails forming a road of flanged-wheel equipment.

4. Chiefly British. railroad.

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railway British  

/ ˈreɪlˌweɪ /

noun

1. a permanent track composed of a line of parallel metal rails fixed to sleepers, for transport of passengers and goods in trains

2. any track on which the wheels of a vehicle may run

   a cable railway

3. the entire equipment, rolling stock, buildings, property, and system of tracks used in such a transport system

4. the organization responsible for operating a railway network

5. (modifier) of, relating to, or used on a railway or railways

   a railway engine

   a railway strike

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interrailway
  adjective
• prerailway
  adjective
• railwayed
  adjective
• railwayless
  adjective
• unrailwayed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• railways
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of railway

First recorded in 1770–80; rail ¹ + way ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

railway railways

The new country set to work building a railway connecting British Columbia, which joined in 1871, to the eastern provinces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

In Chile in 2024, several hundred demonstrators burned tires and blocked coastal highways and railway tracks to protest the early closure of the fishing season, a move partly driven by overfishing tied to fishmeal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

It began in 1888 with his effort to unite separate railway craft unions behind demands for wage concessions from the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Co.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

For a railway company proud of its record for punctuality, this year's disrupted schedule is posing a major challenge.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

Each afternoon I returned to the railway station, not from any hope but out of habit and because it had become familiar.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

According to a study by the consulting firm BCG, AI in railways could save $36 billion to $79 billion in costs and add $20 billion to $50 billion in additional annual revenue worldwide.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

The U.S. showed you could use it to finance national projects like railways.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

Statistics Canada data shows railways transported 31.7 million metric tons of freight for the month, up 2.6% on-year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

"We're working with industry and our trade union colleagues to address work-related violence and harassment," said Richard Hines, the ORR's chief inspector of railways.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

And infrastructure projects meant using more and more land to build roads, railways, bridges, and dams.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

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Related Words

• line
• rail line
• track

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