Skyways

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A high-level passageway or bridge utilized primarily for pedestrian movement between buildings or structures in urban areas
2. Elevated walkways that connect different parts of a city, allowing foot traffic to bypass ground-level obstacles
3. Structures designed to facilitate safe and efficient travel above street level, commonly found in urban environments

Etymology: "Skyways" is the plural of "skyway", a compound of "sky" and "way". The sense of a raised, enclosed walkway linking buildings is a modern one, and the two parts keep their plain meanings: a route through the air above the ground. The compound is transparent in a way many English words are not, so there is little to unpack beyond the components themselves. The word's appeal lies in how directly it names its purpose. Where older terms for elevated passages drew on building or engineering vocabulary, "skyway" describes the route as a path in the sky, shifting the emphasis from the structure to the journey. The plural applies to a network of such walkways, which is how the word is most often used in cities that have built them.

Synonyms: aerial pathways