Pathside

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The area or strip of land immediately adjacent to a walkway or trail; the edge or border alongside a path used for passage; the ground beside a footpath or roadway often characterized by vegetation or natural features
2. The narrow terrain bordering a route for pedestrians or travelers; the fringe of earth alongside a pathway that may support plants or serve as a buffer; the side portion next to a path commonly encountered in outdoor settings
3. The strip of soil or grass lying contiguous to a path or track; the marginal zone beside a trail that forms the boundary between the path and surrounding landscape; the peripheral ground alongside a walkway typically visible while traveling on a path

Etymology: "Pathside" is a plain compound: "path" joined to "-side," the familiar English word for the edge or flank of something. Put together, it names the strip of ground running along the edge of a footpath, where grass, weeds and wildflowers tend to grow. The two parts do the work on their own. "Path" comes from Old English "paþ," a word for a track made by walking, and "side" is an older English word for the edge or flank of something. Combining a noun with "side" to name a location beside it is a common pattern in English, producing words like "roadside" and "seaside," and "pathside" follows that same pattern.

Synonyms: wayside, roadside