footpath

footpath — noun

1. a long, narrow strip of ground that people use for walking, usually away from ro

1.nounB1
Definition

a long, narrow strip of ground that people use for walking, usually away from roads and through fields, woods, or along the coast

Example

A narrow footpath led from the village to the old mill at the river.

narrow footpath — adjective describing the path's width

Trang and her dog walk along the footpath through the meadow every morning.

Common collocations
  • public footpath
  • coastal footpath
  • narrow footpath
  • country footpath
  • follow a footpath
  • along a footpath
Synonyms
  • path

    a broader, more general term; a footpath is a type of path specifically for walking

  • trail

    often implies a longer or rougher route, especially in wild or hilly areas

  • walkway

    tends to refer to a paved or constructed path, usually in urban or park settings

Antonyms
  • road

    a route for vehicles rather than pedestrians

Grammar Patterns

footpath + preposition phrase (through/along/across)

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Footpath, path, trail, walkway, and track all refer to routes for going from one place to another, but they differ in setting and purpose. A footpath is specifically for walking, often in the countryside or along a coast, and is usually narrow. Path is the most general word and can be any kind of route, from a garden path to a mountain path. Trail suggests a longer, less maintained route, often through woods or hills, and is used for hiking or biking. Walkway is typically a constructed, level surface in a park, garden, or urban area. Track can refer to a rough, unpaved route or a prepared path for running. For example, you might follow a coastal footpath to the next village, hike a forest trail through the mountains, or push a pram along a smooth walkway in the park.

path ↗trail ↗walkwaytrack ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • walker
  • signpost
  • map
  • gate
  • stile
  • countryside

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Footpath combines Old English fōt ('foot') with path ('a route or track'), dating back to the 14th century. The compound literally means 'a path for foot traffic,' in contrast to bridleways or cart tracks.