pathway
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a track or path that people can walk along, often in a garden or park.
a physical track, footpath, or route designed for pedestrian travel.
Simple“A stone pathway leads from the back door down to the small pond.”
In context“The landscape architect designed a winding gravel pathway to encourage visitors to explore the more secluded corners of the botanical garden.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a plan or series of steps that helps you achieve a specific result.
a metaphorical route or sequence of stages leading to a particular outcome or career goal.
Simple“The college offers a clear pathway for students who want to become nurses.”
In context“The government is seeking a diplomatic pathway to resolve the conflict without resorting to further economic sanctions.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a series of chemical reactions that happen inside a living thing.
a sequence of biochemical reactions occurring within a cell, typically involving enzymes and metabolic processes.
Simple“Scientists are studying the metabolic pathway that helps the body burn sugar.”
In context“Researchers identified a specific signaling pathway that, when inhibited, significantly reduced the rate of tumor growth in the laboratory models.”
“But many young people in Australia are not aware of the diverse career pathways possible with science degrees.”
“Understanding how these separate pathways interact could also help researchers design more effective combinations of obesity medicines in the future.”
From Middle English pathwei, equivalent to path + way. Cognate with German Pfadweg, Afrikaans padweg.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.