What does hallway mean?
A hallway is a long, narrow passage inside a building, usually leading from one room or entrance to another. It commonly refers to the kind of interior corridor found in schools, offices, hotels, and homes, and it can be identified by such expressions as “down the hallway” and “at the end of the hallway.” The word is especially frequent in North American English, while British speakers often use corridor for the same space, though hallway remains familiar and understandable. In addition to its literal architectural meaning, hallway can suggest a setting for movement, encounters, or conversations, as in “a hallway conversation,” although that extension is less formal and less fixed. The word combines hall, meaning a large room or building space, with way, meaning a passage or route. Together they describe a route through a building, making hallway a straightforward and useful name for one of architecture's most familiar spaces.
nounA hallway is a long, narrow passage within a building, typically connecting rooms, entrances, or other parts of the building. The term is especially common in North American English.
- A long, narrow passage within a building, especially one connecting rooms or entrances.
"She waited for him at the end of the hallway."
"The elevator is just down the hallway on the second floor."
"A narrow hallway separated the offices from the public meeting room."
The standard plural is hallways, used for multiple passages or when referring to passages collectively.
"The old school has wide hallways and high ceilings."
Hallway follows a remarkably literal blueprint: it is a way through a hall.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hallway come from?
Hallway is a compound formed in English from hall and way, both of which are of Germanic origin. Hall continues Old English heall, referring to a large room or residence, while way comes from Old English weg, meaning a path, road, or course. The compound developed in the early modern period for a passage or way within a hall or building, and its modern sense is chiefly associated with an interior corridor.
How hallway is actually used
Hallway is especially common in North American English. In British English, corridor is usually the standard term for this kind of interior passage, although hallway is understood and occasionally used.
Easily confused with hallway
A hall is a large room or principal space, whereas a hallway is specifically a passage through a building.