skywalk
UK[ˈskaɪwɔːk]US[ˈskaɪwɑːk]
n
An elevated, often enclosed, pedestrian walkway connecting two buildings or spanning a road.
n
A structure or path designed for walking high above the ground, such as a glass-bottomed walkway on a mountain or tall building.
Morpheme Breakdown
sky
walk
sky
cloud
walk
to roll, toss
Etymology
The word 'skywalk' is a modern English compound, transparently formed from two native Germanic elements. 'Sky', derived from Old Norse, originally referred to a cloud before its meaning expanded to denote the celestial dome. 'Walk' evolved from an Old English verb describing general motion to specifically mean traveling on foot. The compound logically combines these concepts to denote a pathway situated at a great height, as if walking in or through the sky. This descriptive formation reflects a straightforward method of creating new vocabulary for contemporary architectural and touristic features.
Analysis
Structure: sky + walk
- sky: From Old Norse 'ský', meaning "cloud". In this compound, it signifies "the upper atmosphere" or "a high place".
- walk: From Old English 'wealcan', meaning "to roll, toss" and later "to move about". In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning "a path or act of walking".
Examples
The skywalk between the hotel towers offers a stunning view of the city below.
Tourists cautiously crossed the glass skywalk extending over the canyon.
The new shopping complex includes a climate-controlled skywalk for pedestrian access.