railway
- 01 A2 Elementary
the whole system of trains, tracks, and stations.
the entire network and organisation of rail transport, including infrastructure and services.
Simple“The national railway connects all the major cities in the country.”
In context“The expansion of the national railway facilitated rapid industrial growth by connecting remote mining regions with coastal ports.”
UsageIn American English, 'railroad' is the standard term for this system.
Teacher's tipWhile 'railway' is the standard term in the UK and most Commonwealth countries, 'railroad' is the primary term in the United States.
Synonymsrailroadrail network - 02 B1 Intermediate
the metal tracks that a train travels on.
the physical permanent way consisting of parallel steel rails fixed to sleepers.
Simple“It is dangerous and illegal to walk along the railway.”
In context“Engineers worked through the night to repair a section of the railway that had been damaged by the heavy flooding.”
UsageOften used with 'the' when referring to the physical tracks.
Usage railway station
From rail + way.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.