pathway
n. countablen. a track or route that you can walk along, or a specific set of steps you take to reach a goal. It can be a physical path in a garden or a plan for your career.
n. a route or track for walking; metaphorically, a sequence of actions or events that leads to a specific result or career progression.
The stone pathway leads directly to the garden gate.
The university offers a clear academic pathway for students who want to transition from nursing into medical research.
Biologists are currently mapping the complex signaling pathway that allows cells to respond to external stress, hoping to identify new targets for drug therapy.
From Middle English pathwei, equivalent to path + way. Cognate with German Pfadweg, Afrikaans padweg.
Frequently used in professional contexts to describe career progression or biological processes.