path

1 of 3

noun

ˈpath 

ˈpäth

plural paths ˈpat͟hz 

ˈpaths,

ˈpät͟hz,

ˈpäths 

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

pathological; pathology

-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

Synonyms

Noun

• course
• line
• pathway
• route
• routeway [chiefly British]
• steps
• track
• way

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.

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Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' actress was inspired by her parents' work ethic Aubrey Plaza has charted her own path to success — just like her parents. —Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023

In Wynne, a separate tornado -- also rated EF3-- cut a path through the heart of the northeast Arkansas town, destroying the high school and pulling up the astroturf from the nearby football field, officials have said. —The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 23 Nov. 2023

None of this is the same thing as saying a patient with Long COVID will head down such a path, but without question, ongoing inflammation is the subject of close scrutiny by those examining the long tail of SARS-CoV-2. —Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2023

Celebrating and honoring talent in its diverse manifestations and cultures has become a crucial stepping stone for carving out new, common paths. —Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2023

House conservatives have expressed optimism that Johnson would forge a better path. —Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023

Three homes were determined to be directly in the path of the landslide -- two houses on the mountainside and one on the waterside of the highway -- according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2023

Baron sees his book as being about the path to futurism in journalism, about his and the paper’s rise to the great Bezosian game. —Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023

And learning to create stuff just for the joy of it is the surest path to a great career. —IEEE Spectrum, 21 Nov. 2023

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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

Phrases Containing path

• bridle path
• base path
• desire path
• beat a path
• beat a path to your door
• lead (someone) down/up the garden path
• mean free path
• glide path
• lead one down the garden path
• down the road/path to perdition
• flight path
• smooth a path
• take/follow the path/line of least resistance
• primrose path
• off the beaten path
• lead one up the garden path

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• bridle path
• base path
• desire path
• beat a path
• beat a path to your door
• lead (someone) down/up the garden path
• mean free path
• glide path
• lead one down the garden path
• down the road/path to perdition
• flight path
• smooth a path
• take/follow the path/line of least resistance
• primrose path
• off the beaten path
• lead one up the garden path

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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

ˈpath, ˈpȧth 

plural paths ˈpat͟hz  ˈpaths 

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 skin

—Morris Fishbein

2

: pathway sense 1

path

2 of 2 abbreviation

pathological; pathology