Prowadnik

Prowadnik is a Polish noun with several meanings, depending on context. It denotes a person who leads, guides, or directs others, such as in organizational settings or events. In everyday language, the term przewodnik is more common for a human guide (tour guide, mentor), while prowadnik tends to appear in more formal or technical contexts to emphasize the act of guiding or supervising.

In engineering and manufacturing, prowadnik also denotes a device that guides or directs the motion of another component. It is used to describe elements such as guide rails or linear guides that ensure precise positioning and smooth travel of moving parts. A typical example is prowadnik liniowy, found in CNC machines, where it works together with bearings or rollers to constrain movement to a straight path.

Etymology: the word derives from prowadzić, “to lead,” with the agent suffix -nik. It is related to, but distinct from, przewodnik, which more commonly means a guide in a human or informational sense, or, in science, a conductor. The exact meaning of prowadnik is determined by context: a person who leads or a technical component that guides motion.