# highway

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhaɪweɪ/ · frequency rank #3,063

## Definitions
1. A main public road, especially a multi-lane, high-speed thoroughfare.
2. Any public road.
3. A way; a path that leads to a certain destiny.
4. A road that is major (more heavily traveled and thus more important than a byway), higher than the surrounding land, has drainage ditches at the sides, or has any combination of those traits.
5. Synonym of bus (“common connection for two or more circuits or components”).

## Etymology
From Middle English heiȝwai, heiȝwei, from Old English hēahweġ (“main road, highway”), corresponding to high + way. Compare highgate, high street, high road.
Cognate with Scots heaway, heway, hieway, hichway, heichway (“highway”).

## Easily confused with
- **highly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/highly-vs-highway)

## Common misspellings (11)
`hgihway`, `hhighway`, `higghway`, `highawy`, `highhway`, `highwayy`, `highwway`, `highwya`, `higwhay`, `hihgway`, `ihghway`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/highway