camino
/kaˈmino/
Definition
A path, road, or route used to get from one place to another; also used figuratively to mean a way or course of action in life.
Example
El camino al pueblo pasa por el bosque.
Show translation
The path to the village goes through the forest.
Etymology
From Late Latin *cammīnus*, likely of Celtic or pre-Roman Iberian origin, meaning "road" or "path." The same root gives English "camp" (via French) and is the ancestor of French *chemin* and Italian *cammino*.
Cultural note
*El Camino de Santiago* (the Way of St. James) is Spain's most iconic pilgrimage route, drawing hundreds of thousands of walkers each year to the city of Santiago de Compostela. The word *camino* therefore carries a strong cultural weight of journey, challenge, and spiritual growth for Spanish speakers. The phrase *hacer camino* ("to make the path") also appears in the famous verse by poet Antonio Machado: *"Caminante, son tus huellas el camino y nada más"* — "Traveller, your footsteps are the path and nothing more."