# route

/ˈɹaʊt/ (US) · /ɹˈuːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/route
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. a path or way

noun · CEFR A2

the way you take to get from one place to another.

For teachers: a course, way, or road travelled or passed to reach a destination.

- The quickest route to the airport is usually the motorway.
- The hikers consulted their topographical map to determine which route offered the safest descent before the weather deteriorated.

### 2. a delivery path

noun · CEFR B1

a regular series of stops for a person making deliveries or a bus.

For teachers: a regular itinerary of stops or the specific path followed between them for transport or delivery services.

- The postman has been on the same delivery route for ten years.
- The logistics company redesigned the delivery routes to minimise fuel consumption and improve the efficiency of the morning couriers.

### 3. a method or approach

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a way of doing something or achieving a result.

For teachers: a figurative method, approach, or sequence of actions taken to achieve a specific objective.

- Taking an internship is a great route into a career in fashion.
- The university offers a foundation year as an alternative route for students who do not meet the standard entry requirements for the degree programme.

### 4. data path

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the path that information takes through a computer network.

For teachers: a specific entry in a routing table that determines the path for transmitting data packets across a network.

- The technician checked the network route to see why the connection was slow.
- The network administrator manually configured a static route to ensure that traffic from the branch office bypassed the congested primary gateway.

### 5. to direct or send

verb · CEFR B2

to send someone or something along a particular path.

For teachers: to direct, divert, or dispatch along a specific course or through a particular medium.

- The operator will route your call to the correct department.
- During the construction phase, the city council decided to route all heavy goods vehicles through the industrial zone to reduce noise in the residential areas.

Usage: The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, often followed by 'through' or 'via'.

## Examples

- The scenic route takes much longer than the highway.
- The GPS suggested a faster route to avoid the heavy traffic caused by the accident.
- The logistics manager spent the afternoon optimizing the delivery route to ensure that all packages arrived within the promised four-hour window while minimizing fuel consumption.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.