gangway

gangway — noun

IPA/ˈɡæŋweɪ/
IPA/ˈɡæŋweɪ/
  • gangwaysingular
  • gangwaysplural

1. the narrow walking area that separates each row of seating in a theatre, bus, ai

1.nounB1
Definition

the narrow walking area that separates each row of seating in a theatre, bus, aircraft, or cinema, giving people a path to their own seats

Example

The flight attendant walked slowly down the gangway, checking each seat belt.

collocation: down the gangway

A suitcase left in the gangway could trip someone during an emergency exit.

passive: left in the gangway

Common collocations
  • down the gangway
  • in the gangway
  • block the gangway
  • stand in the gangway
Synonyms
  • aisle

    the standard term in American English and in retail contexts; 'gangway' is more common in British English for transport

Usage Note

In American English, 'aisle' is far more common than 'gangway' for this meaning.

Common Mistakes

Don't block the gangway' (in a US supermarket).
Don't block the aisle.
In US English, 'gangway' for a shop aisle sounds unnatural.

2. a movable bridge or sloping board that passengers and crew walk across to get on

2.nounB2
Definition

a movable bridge or sloping board that passengers and crew walk across to get on or off a ship when it is in port

Example

The passengers walked carefully across the gangway to reach the wooden dock.

collocation: across the gangway

A strong gust of wind made the gangway sway while the crew carried luggage aboard.

collocation: made the gangway sway

Common collocations
  • across the gangway
  • down the gangway
  • at the top of the gangway
  • lower the gangway
Synonyms
  • gangplank

    a narrower, often wooden version; more common in older or smaller vessels

  • boarding bridge

    a more modern, enclosed structure at ferry terminals

Usage Note

Also called a 'gangplank', especially when referring to a narrow wooden board rather than a larger metal or enclosed bridge.

Common Mistakes

We walked up the gangway to the airplane.
We walked up the jet bridge to the airplane.
For aircraft, the connecting walkway is called a jet bridge or air bridge, not a gangway.

gangway — exclamation

IPA/ˈɡæŋ.weɪ/
IPA/ˈɡæŋ.weɪ/

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In British English, 'gangway' and 'aisle' are largely interchangeable for the space between rows of seats in a theatre, bus, or aircraft, though 'gangway' is more common on transport and 'aisle' in shops and supermarkets. 'Passageway' is a broader term for any covered corridor or narrow walkway, not limited to seating areas — it could describe a hallway in a building or a tunnel between rooms. In American English, 'aisle' dominates in all contexts (transport, shops, theatres), and 'gangway' for this sense sounds distinctly British. For example, a British passenger might say 'mind the gangway' while an American passenger would say 'watch the aisle'.

gangway ↗aisle ↗passageway ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • down the gangway
  • along the gangway
  • across the gangway
  • up the gangway

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'gang' (a going, a journey, a path) and 'weg' (a way or road). Originally it simply meant a passage or thoroughfare. By the 1600s it was used for the boarding passage on a ship, and later broadened to mean any narrow walkway between seats in public transport and entertainment venues. The exclamation use — a shout to clear a path — comes from the nautical sense, where crew would call 'Gangway!' to warn people to move aside when carrying cargo or moving through tight spaces.