English Reference
Noun

passageway

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈpæsədʒˌweɪ/ UK /pˈæsɪdʒwˌeɪ/ pas·sage·way UK spelling passageways

n.a narrow path or corridor that connects two places. You use this word for a walkway in a building or a small road between houses.

n.a narrow passage or corridor connecting two areas. Often used to describe architectural features or small-scale urban routes.


SIMPLE

The narrow passageway leads to the back of the house.

CONTEXTUAL

The old castle features a narrow stone passageway that connects the kitchen to the main hall.

COMPLEX

The architect designed a series of hidden passageways to allow for discreet movement between the different wings of the museum during the exhibition setup.

As distant from the central doors of the church as is possible, it would be easy to assume that this bricked-up passageway might have been an old receiving portal or service entrance.

JSTOR Daily· 13 May 2026

From passage + way.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated