Passageway

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A corridor or hall that provides a route for moving from one place to another within or between buildings
2. A defined route or channel that allows for the movement of individuals or objects between different spaces within a building or environment
3. A narrow or enclosed path enabling transit between areas in a structure or connecting two distinct environments

Etymology: "Passageway" is a plain compound: "passage" joined to "way," so the word literally means a way for passing. "Passage" itself came into English from Old French "passage," derived from "passer," to pass, and "way" is one of the oldest words in the language, rooted in Old English "weg." Put together, the pair describes a route you move through rather than a place you stop. The compound follows a familiar English pattern in which a noun is paired with "way" to name a route defined by its function, as in "doorway," "stairway" and "gangway." Each of those words specifies what the way is for or what it leads through, so "passageway" tells you directly that the route exists to get people from one space to another.

Synonyms: hallway, corridor, aisle, path, thoroughfare

Antonyms: obstruction, closure