path

1 of 3

noun

ˈpath How to pronounce path (audio)
ˈpäth
plural paths ˈpat͟hz How to pronounce path (audio)
ˈpaths,
ˈpät͟hz,
ˈpäths How to pronounce path (audio)
1
: a trodden way
a winding path through the woods
2
: a track specially constructed for a particular use
a garden path of flagstones
3
a
: course, route
the path of a meteor
b
: a way of life, conduct, or thought
decided on a career path in medicine
4
a
: the continuous series of positions or configurations that can be assumed in any motion or process of change by a moving or varying system
b
: a sequence of arcs in a network that can be traced continuously without retracing any arc
5
: pathway sense 2
the optic path from the retina to the cerebral cortex

path

2 of 3

abbreviation

variants or pathol

-path

3 of 3

noun combining form

1
: practitioner of a (specified) system of medicine that emphasizes one aspect of disease or its treatment
naturopath
2
a
: one suffering from a disorder (of such a part or system)
psychopath
b
: one perceiving
telepath

Examples of path in a Sentence

Noun We followed a winding path through the woods. The path led down the hill. The car skidded into the path of an oncoming truck. The fire destroyed everything in its path. The cars moved aside to clear a path for the ambulance. He tried to leave but one of the guards blocked his path. They are heading down a dangerous path that could lead to war.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To find this evidence, Curiosity and Perseverance are treading very different paths on Mars, more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from each other. Amy J. Williams, Discover Magazine, 16 Mar. 2024 Netanyahu has also been at odds with U.S. officials over his hampering of aid into Gaza and his rejection of finding a path to Palestinian statehood. Mikhail Klimentov, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The bill will likely face a difficult path in the House during this election year. Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2024 While the hotel has no spa, pool, or fitness center, Cameron Park, which has an abundance of paths for running or walking, is just a mile-and-a-half away. Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2024 Severe weather and tornadoes battered the Midwest on Thursday, leaving a path of destruction across parts of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Mar. 2024 Starting at around 8:20 p.m., the tornado cut a path from the intersection of Fresno Road and Balearic Road. Joseph Flaherty, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2024 All together, these approaches make World Wide Whack perversely fun, a disorienting merry-go-round of despair and uplift, rather than a linear path to victory or failure. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 Engelhorn’s approach is a dramatic example of the ways in which heirs of dynastic wealth are choosing a different path than previous generations. Sophie Alexander, Fortune Europe, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'path.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English pæth; akin to Old High German pfad path

Noun combining form

borrowed from Greek -pathēs "experiencing, undergoing or suffering (as designated by the initial element)," adjectival derivative from páthos "experience, misfortune, emotion" — more at pathos

Note: The agentive meaning of sense 1 is based on loans from German or French (as German Homöopath, French homéopathe homeopath) that appear to be back-formations from abstract nouns ending in -ie (as German Homöopathie, French homéopathie homeopathy—cf. -pathy).

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of path was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near path

Cite this Entry

“Path.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/path. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

path

noun
ˈpath,
ˈpȧth
plural paths
ˈpat͟hz,
ˈpaths,
ˈpȧt͟hz,
ˈpȧths
1
a
: a track made by foot travel
b
: a track constructed for a particular use (as horseback riding)
2
a
: the way along which something moves : course
b
: a way of life, conduct, or thought
pathless
-ləs
adjective

Medical Definition

path

1 of 2 noun
plural paths ˈpat͟hz How to pronounce path (audio) ˈpaths How to pronounce path (audio)
ˈpȧt͟hz,
ˈpȧths
1
: the way or route traversed by something
the sweat glands are the chief paths by which water reaches the surface of the skinMorris Fishbein
2

path

2 of 2 abbreviation

More from Merriam-Webster on path

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