cross-country

[ adjective kraws-kuhn-tree, kros-; noun kraws-kuhn-tree, -kuhn-, kros- ]

adjective

1. directed or proceeding over fields, through woods, etc., rather than on a road or path:

   a cross-country race.

2. from one end of the country to the other:

   a cross-country flight.

noun

, plural cross-coun·tries.

1. a cross-country sport or race.

cross-country

adjective

1. by way of fields, woods, etc, as opposed to roads

   cross-country running

2. across a country

   a cross-country railway

noun

1. a long race held over open ground

Word History and Origins

Origin of cross-country¹

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Five years ago, Weiss and Brier hatched the idea for “Sweethearts” after embarking on a cross-country road trip.

From Los Angeles Times

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A short week of preparation, a long cross-country flight and an early kickoff for West Coast body clocks presented the Rams with a challenge Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times

Parents filled city meetings, worried about their kids breathing in diesel fumes while running cross-country or dodging 18-wheelers as they hustled toward class each morning.

From Salon

She piled into a friend’s car in West Virginia and embarked on what would become a cross-country trip.

From Los Angeles Times

The UK’s first cross-country motorway is set to mark a major milestone on Saturday with 65 years since the road welcomed traffic for the first time.

From BBC