cross-country

American  

[kraws-kuhn-tree, kros-, kraws-kuhn-tree, -kuhn-, kros-] / ˈkrɔsˌkʌn tri, ˈkrɒs-, ˈkrɔsˈkʌn tri, -ˌkʌn-, ˈkrɒs- /

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.

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noun

cross-countries plural

1. a cross-country sport or race.

cross-country British  

adjective

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

   cross-country running

2. across a country

   a cross-country railway

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noun

1. a long race held over open ground

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• cross-countries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cross-country

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Based on his 1997 children’s novella, this economical piece of autofiction chronicles a life-changing cross-country flight in 1962 from Travolta’s childhood home in New Jersey to the sunny streets of Los Angeles.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Contreras is Hesperia High’s valedictorian and earned All Mojave River League honors in cross-country her senior year by taking eighth at league finals in a time of 20 minutes, 49 seconds.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Saudi Arabia has a network of cross-country highways.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

But dreams of seamless cross-country journeys rub up against a fragmented network broken into national systems that critics say create hurdles and pushes up costs.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

A cross-country journey was a harrowing ordeal, five days of clanging, rocking, and bumping in a confined space.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand