lane

1 of 2

noun

ˈlān 

1

: a narrow passageway between fences or hedges

2

: a relatively narrow way or track: such as

a

: an ocean route used by or prescribed for ships

b

: a strip of roadway for a single line of vehicles

c

: air lane

d

: any of several parallel courses on a track or swimming pool in which a competitor must stay during a race

e

: an unmarked lengthwise division of a playing area which defines the playing zone of a particular player

f

: a narrow hardwood surface having pins at one end and a gutter along each side that is used in bowling

g

: free throw lane

lane

2 of 2

Scottish variant of lone

Examples of lane in a Sentence

Noun

The truck's driver kept changing lanes.

She moved to the outside lane.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

All lanes in one direction will be closed at a time, starting Monday with the southbound lanes, according to the California Department of Transportation. —Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Even at its current scale the issue affected global supply chains, clogging many Red Sea shipping lanes, exacerbating the supply problems much of the world had thought was behind them. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024

In Milan, the small storefront is on a quiet lane not far from the San Babila metro station. —Laura May Todd, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024

But Ecorse Creek, no wider than a traffic lane for much of its length, drains dozens of square miles in key Downriver areas. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024

Originally, the state planned to start installing a fourth lane on I-75, in both directions, between the Norwood Lateral and the Ronald Reagan Highway this year. —The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024

During a visit to Tijuana in November, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador vowed to take action and ease southbound traffic into Mexico, including opening all lanes at El Chaparral Port of Entry. —Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024

Happily for the law school, there are now many dedicated bike lanes in Cambridge. —Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

The teenager allegedly entered the northbound lane and then crashed head-on into an oncoming Honda Odyssey, killing six of the seven passengers. —Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English lanu; akin to Middle Dutch lane lane

First Known Use

Noun

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

Phrases Containing lane

• air lane
• breakdown lane
• express lane
• fast lane
• free throw lane
• memory lane
• passing lane
• sea-lane
• slow lane

Kids Definition

lane

noun

ˈlān

1

: a narrow way or road usually between fences, hedges, or buildings

2

: a somewhat narrow way or track: as

a

: an ocean route for ships

also : air lane

b

: a strip of roadway for a single line of vehicles

c

: a bowling alley

Biographical Definition

Lane

biographical name

ˈlān 

Edward William 1801–1876 English orientalist