[[Image:path-name.png|thumb|right|180px|A pathname points to a file system location by '''following the directory tree hierarchy'''.]]

<i>A '''pathname''' is used to specify a '''route to a file''' within the file system.<br>

A pathname '''points''' to a file system location by '''following the directory tree hierarchy''' expressed in a string of characters in which path components, separated by a delimiting character, represent each directory. The '''delimiting character''' is most commonly the slash ("'''/'''").</i> Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Path_(computing)