gangway
UK[ˈɡaŋweɪ]US[ˈɡæŋˌweɪ]
n
A movable bridge or platform used for boarding or leaving a ship.
n
A clear passageway between rows of seats or through a crowd.
interj
A command to make way or clear a passage.
Morpheme Breakdown
gang
way
gang
to go
way
path
Etymology
The word 'gangway' is a compound formed from two Old English elements, both with Proto-Germanic origins. 'Gang' derives from the verb gangan, meaning "to go," which is related to the modern German gehen. 'Way' comes from weg, meaning "a path or road," a cognate of the German Weg. Originally, in nautical contexts, a 'gangway' was literally a "going-path"—a temporary, movable bridge or platform for walking between a ship and the shore. Over time, this concrete meaning broadened to signify any temporary or cleared passage for walking, such as an aisle between seats, and even evolved into an imperative exclamation ("Gangway!") demanding that such a passage be made.
Analysis
Structure: gang (to go) + way (path)
gang: From Old English gangan (to go, walk). Its functional role is the core verb meaning "to go".
way: From Old English weg (path, road, course of travel). Its functional role is the noun meaning "path".
Examples
The crew lowered the gangway so the passengers could disembark.
Please keep the gangway clear for emergency exits.
Gangway! Coming through with a heavy load.