Companionway
/kəmˈpæn.jən.weɪ/noun
A passage or stairway on a ship or aircraft leading from one deck to another.
Did you know?The first half comes from Old French *compaignon*, originally a person you shared bread with, from Latin *companio* — so this nautical term quietly carries an ancient bond of fellowship.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
Latin
companio
“a messmate; one who shares bread”
Old French
OF
compaignon
“companion, comrade, fellow”
Middle English
ME
compaignon
“companion, associate”
18th–19th Century
English
companionway
“a ship's stairway or passage, especially one leading below deck”
Modern English
English
companionway
“a passage or stairway between decks on a ship or aircraft”