roadway
|road/way|
🇺🇸
/ˈroʊdweɪ/
🇬🇧
/ˈrəʊdweɪ/
path for vehicles
Etymology
'roadway' originates from English, formed as a compound of 'road' and 'way', where 'road' (from Old English 'rād') meant 'a ride, journey' and 'way' (from Old English 'weg') meant 'path or route'.
'roadway' changed from Middle English compound spellings such as 'rodway' or 'rodeway' and eventually became the modern English word 'roadway'.
Initially it meant 'a way for riding or travelling', and over time it evolved into its current senses, including specifically 'the part of a road for vehicular traffic'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the part of a street or highway specifically intended for vehicular traffic; the travelled surface of a road.
The accident blocked the roadway for several hours.
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Noun 2
a route or course for travel by vehicles (often used in a more general or legal/engineering sense).
City planners inspected the existing roadway before proposing the new transit line.
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Last updated: 2026/01/14 02:36