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• overland
  overland

  adverb

  by land; on terrain.
• Overland
  Overland

  noun

  a city in E Missouri, near St. Louis.

overland

¹ American  

[oh-ver-land, -luhnd] / ˈoʊ vərˌlænd, -lənd /

adverb

1. by land; on terrain.

   to travel overland rather than by sea.

2. over or across the land.

   a road that winds overland.

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adjective

1. proceeding, performed, or carried on overland.

   the overland route to the West.

Overland ² American  

[oh-ver-luhnd] / ˈoʊ vər lənd /

noun

1. a city in E Missouri, near St. Louis.

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overland British  

/ ˈəʊvəˌlænd /

adjective

1. over or across land

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verb

1. history to drive (cattle or sheep) overland

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overlander
  noun

Etymology

Origin of overland

First recorded in 1325–75, overland is from the Middle English word overlond. See over-, land

Example Sentences

“As of 1855, construction of overland telegraph systems had become standardized,” Mr. Tabor writes, but “no such standard existed for submarine telegraph lines, especially those running through salt water.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

While the overland route is inefficient, with many trucks returning empty from port, soaring prices of the underlying commodities offsets the extra shipping costs, Wilt said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

With the Strait of Hormuz off limits, ships have been diverted to Oman and Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast with containers then shipped onwards overland.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

But these overland routes are too congested, expensive and insufficient to make up for the paralysis of traditional routes, Schneider said.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

“Touring. It’s the way you get around the countryside in the winter. Touring skiing. It’s how you go overland in the snow. ”

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles