Definition
A defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft.
Plain English
A marked, prepared strip of ground at an airport where aircraft land and take off.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this term on airport diagrams, runway signs, flight planning material, and air traffic control instructions about where to take off or land.
Derivation
From 'run' (to move quickly along a surface) plus 'way' (a path or route). The word literally describes the path along which an aircraft runs during takeoff or landing roll.
Why Pilots Care
The ICAO definition is the international standard. Pilots flying internationally will see this exact wording in foreign airport documents and ICAO publications, and it matches the FAA definition closely enough that the operational meaning is the same worldwide.
Intuition Check
Do not read “runway” as just any open path or paved surface. In this ICAO meaning, it is a specific rectangular area at a land airport or airfield that is prepared for aircraft takeoffs and landings.
Example Sentence 1
The ICAO definition of a runway applies at every international airport, so the layout and markings feel familiar even when flying abroad.
Example Sentence 2
Runway 09 was closed for resurfacing after the winter season.