A Path Is Made by Walking, Not by Building
A path is a way made for or by walking. The word distinguishes worn ground from built road.
A path is a track made for or worn by walking, and figuratively a course of action. The word marks a real distinction: a road is built, a path is worn. That is why planners now speak of *desire paths*, the informal shortcuts worn across grass where people actually want to walk, and why some designers lay no paving until they see where those tracks appear. *Path* is Old English, an unusual word in that its Germanic relatives are limited and its deeper origin is debated.
- A walking track. *A woodland path.*
- A course of action. *The path to success.*
- A trajectory. *The path of the storm.*
- Desire path. *A desire path.*
- Old English — *pæþ*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | path | A path. |
| Plural | paths | Paths. |
| Compound | pathway | A pathway. |
| Compound | footpath | A footpath. |
| German | Pfad | A path. |
- A path led into the wood.Track.
- The path of the storm.Trajectory.
- Desire paths show real routes.Design.
Ways to travel
- Path — worn by walking
- Track — a rough way, often for animals or vehicles
- Lane — a narrow way between boundaries
- Road — deliberately built for travel
- Trail — a route marked or followed, often through wild country
Old English *pæþ*, of West Germanic origin, related to German *Pfad*; the deeper origin is uncertain.
What is a desire path?
An informal track worn across open ground where people actually choose to walk, often cutting a corner that paving ignored.
What is the difference between a path and a road?
A road is built; a path is worn by use. The distinction is in the word itself.