highway

From Middle English heiȝwai, heiȝwei, from Old English hēahweġ (“main road, highway”), corresponding to high +‎ way:

• Old English hēah (“of great height, tall”), from Proto-Germanic *hauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European *kowkos (“hill”) +
• Old English weġ (“road, path”), from Proto-Germanic *wegaz, from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to move”).

Cognate with Scots heaway, heway, hieway, hichway, heichway (“highway”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈhaɪweɪ/

• Audio (US)

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  Rhymes: -aɪweɪ

highway (plural highways)

1. A main, direct public road, especially a multi-lane, high speed thoroughfare connecting major population centers.
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 7, in The China Governess‎:

     The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.

2. (rail transport) Any public road for vehicular traffic.

• hwy. (abbreviation)

• (main public road): expressway, motorway

• hwy. (abbreviation)