A walkway is a path designed specifically for people to walk on. You see walkways everywhere: the concrete path leading to your school's front door, the wooden boardwalk at a beach, or the covered walkway connecting two buildings so people can stay dry in the rain.

Walkways separate pedestrians from cars, bikes, or other hazards. In a busy parking lot, painted walkways show drivers where people will be crossing. In gardens and parks, stone or gravel walkways guide visitors along scenic routes while protecting the grass and plants from being trampled.

Some walkways are simple dirt paths worn smooth by thousands of footsteps over time. Others are elaborate structures like the glass-floored skywalk that extends over the Grand Canyon, letting brave visitors peer straight down thousands of feet. Cities build elevated walkways or skywalks above busy streets so pedestrians can cross safely without stopping traffic.

The word emphasizes purpose: while you can walk on a road or across a lawn, a walkway exists specifically for walking. When architects design buildings, they plan walkways to help people move safely and efficiently from place to place.