ENGLISH
REFERENCE

waterway

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈwɔtɝˌweɪ// UK //wˈɔːtəwˌeɪ// wa·ter·way

n. a river, canal, or other path of water that boats and ships can travel on.

n. a navigable body of water, such as a river, channel, or canal, used for transportation or travel.


SIMPLE

The city is famous for its beautiful waterways.

CONTEXTUAL

The government invested in dredging the waterway to allow larger cargo ships to reach the inland port.

COMPLEX

The Rhine serves as a vital industrial waterway, connecting several European nations and facilitating the transport of millions of tons of goods annually.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English waterwey, from Old English wæterweġ (“waterway”), from Proto-West Germanic *watarweg, equivalent to water + way. Compare Saterland Frisian Woaterwai (“waterway”), West Frisian wetterwei (“waterway”), Dutch waterweg (“waterway”), German Wasserweg (“waterway”), Danish vandvej (“waterway”), Swedish vattenväg (“waterway”).

© 2026 English Reference