glidepath: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical / Formal / Financial
Quick answer
What does “glidepath” mean?
The precise, descending path an aircraft follows to land.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The precise, descending path an aircraft follows to land.
A predetermined, controlled course of progress or decline toward a specific target or outcome.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. British English is more likely to use the variant 'glide slope' in the original aviation context.
Connotations
Identical; both treat it as a technical term.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American financial/business jargon (e.g., 'earnings glidepath'), but the term is specialised in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “glidepath” in a Sentence
[be] on a/the glidepath to [noun phrase][verb] a glidepath for [noun phrase][noun] glidepathVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glidepath” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new software helps the aircraft to glidepath onto the runway in low visibility.
- We need to glidepath our spending more carefully.
American English
- The autopilot will glidepath the plane to touchdown.
- The CFO's plan is to glidepath expenses down by 5% each quarter.
adjective
British English
- The glidepath indicator lights were clearly visible.
- They agreed on a glidepath approach to the merger.
American English
- The pilot monitored the glidepath data on the screen.
- The board reviewed the glidepath projections for the next fiscal year.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a forecasted, gradual change in metrics like costs, revenues, or headcount. 'The company outlined a cost-reduction glidepath over the next three quarters.'
Academic
Rare; might appear in papers on aviation, systems engineering, or economic modelling.
Everyday
Very rare. Would likely be used metaphorically by someone familiar with the technical term.
Technical
The primary context. In aviation, the precise 3-degree angle of descent for landing, often defined by radio signals. In finance, a model for predictable change.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glidepath”
- Using it to mean any simple plan (too broad). Confusing it with 'roadmap' (which doesn't inherently imply a descent). Spelling as two words ('glide path').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as one word (glidepath), though the two-word variant 'glide path' is sometimes seen, especially in older aviation texts.
Rarely. Its core semantics involve a controlled descent or decline. It is occasionally used for a gradual increase toward a target (e.g., 'a glidepath to full funding'), but 'ramp-up' or 'phased increase' are more common for that concept.
A 'roadmap' is a general plan with stages or directions. A 'glidepath' is a specific type of roadmap that implies a smooth, often downward, trajectory toward a precise endpoint, frequently with measurable milestones.
No. It is a specialised term (C2 level). You will encounter it in aviation, finance, and detailed project management, but it is not used in everyday conversation.
The precise, descending path an aircraft follows to land.
Glidepath is usually technical / formal / financial in register.
Glidepath: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡlaɪd.pɑːθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡlaɪd.pæθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On a glidepath to success/failure.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a plane GLIDING smoothly down a visible PATH in the sky to the runway. Any planned, smooth decline follows a similar 'glidepath.'
Conceptual Metaphor
PROGRESS IS A JOURNEY ALONG A PATH; DECLINE/APPROACH IS A CONTROLLED DESCENT.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'glidepath' used in its most literal, original sense?