gateways

Noun

gateway (plural gateways)

1. A passage that can be closed by use of a gate.
   • The original family who had begun to build a palace to rival Nonesuch had died out before they had put up little more than the gateway, […].1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 1, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC
2. A place regarded as giving access to somewhere.
   • The staff offer a touch of Norfolk courtesy as they guide passengers onto connecting services. The bustling concourse has a wide selection of information and retail, including a very active city tourism presence. This station now feels like a real gateway to Norwich.2020 December 30, Richard Clinnick, “Greater Anglia strikes again...”, in Rail, page 43
3. Any point that represents the beginning of a transition from one place or phase to another.
   1. (attributive) Any thing or area of interest that tends to lead to deeper involvement.
      • a gateway drug
4. A point at which freight moving from one territory to another is interchanged between transportation lines.
5. In wireless internet, an access point with additional software capabilities such as providing NAT and DHCP, which may also provide VPN support, roaming, firewalls, various levels of security, etc.

See all 7 meanings of gateway