English Reference
noun · verb

path

n. · v.
US /ˈpæθ/ path UK spelling paths

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    n.a track or way made for walking or cycling.

    n.a trail or track specifically designed for or worn by pedestrians and cyclists.

    Simple

    We followed a narrow path through the woods until we reached the river.

    In context

    The coastal path winds along the cliffs, offering hikers spectacular views of the Atlantic while keeping them safely away from the erosion-prone edges.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    n.the direction that someone or something moves in.

    n.the physical course or route along which something moves or is directed.

    Simple

    The storm's path suggests it will hit the coast by tomorrow morning.

    In context

    The satellite's orbital path was adjusted slightly to ensure continuous coverage of the disaster zone during the recovery efforts.

  3. 03 B1 Intermediate

    n.a plan or way of life that leads to a certain result.

    n.a metaphorical course of action or a sequence of events leading to a specific goal or state.

    Simple

    She chose a difficult career path but she enjoys the challenge.

    In context

    The government is seeking a diplomatic path to resolve the conflict without resorting to economic sanctions.

  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Computing

    n.the address that shows where a file is kept on a computer.

    n.a string of characters used to uniquely identify a location in a hierarchical file system or URL.

    Simple

    You need to copy the full file path into the search bar to find the document.

    In context

    The application failed to launch because the absolute path to the configuration file contained spaces that the script could not parse correctly.

  5. 05 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    v.to find or create a route through a space, often in a video game.

    v.to navigate or calculate a route through a complex environment, especially in computer science or gaming.

    Simple

    The characters in the game sometimes struggle to path around large obstacles.

    In context

    The AI agents are programmed to path toward the nearest exit whenever the alarm state is triggered within the simulation.

    Usage

    Often used as an intransitive verb in the context of AI movement.

    navigatepathfind

Usage path of totality · path forward · path of the eclipse


Etymology 1

From Middle English path, peth, from Old English pæþ (“path, track”), from Proto-West Germanic paþ, from Proto-Germanic paþaz (“path”). The Proto-Germanic term is possibly borrowed from Iranian, from Proto-Iranian pántaHh, from Proto-Indo-Iranian pántaHs, from Proto-Indo-European póntoh₁s, from the root pent- (“to pass”), however this is disputed. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Paad, Pad (“path”), West Frisian paad (“path”), Dutch pad (“path”), German Pfad (“path”), German Low German Padd (“path”), Luxembourgish Pad (“path”). Indo-Iranian cognates could be Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬧𐬙𐬃 (paṇtā̊, “way”), Old Persian 𐎱𐎰 (p-θ /⁠paθi⁠/)), Sanskrit पन्था (panthā, “path”). See also English find. Doublet of panth.

Etymology 2

Shortening.

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

This entry
Origin ine-pro *póntoh₁s
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated