Silk Road

American  

[silk rohd] / ˈsɪlk ˈroʊd /

Sometimes Silk Route

noun

1. an ancient, 4,000-mile network of trade routes linking China with the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian subcontinent during the time of the Roman Empire, and later revived during the Middle Ages: named for the lucrative trade in silk from China to the West.

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Etymology

Origin of Silk Road

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Indeed, history is filled with examples of this, from the medieval Black Death hitchhiking along the Silk Road to the “Russian flu” pandemic of the late 19th century that was accelerated by trains and steamships.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

The Polar Silk Road is no longer a PowerPoint presentation.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

But, on the Silk Road for centuries, it is attempting to revive its historic role as a trading hub.

From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025

Some even mention "hours-long performances that recreate the splendour of the Silk Road".

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2025

Travelers on the Silk Road between China and the Mediterranean had to cross desert and the Hindu Kush, both formidable obstacles.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• sea lane