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

Noun Inflected Forms

• cross-countries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cross-country

First recorded in 1760–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cross-country cross-countries

As ever, James B was as far off the pace as me in the year 11 cross-country race.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

“Katie Zacharia had less than 24 hours to prepare for her inaugural briefing, as she juggled a cross-country move, and only received briefing materials this morning,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

Death Row Records, run at the time by Marion “Suge” Knight, was in a cross-country rivalry with Bad Boy Records, run by Sean “Diddy” Combs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

But this stable aggregate masks large cross-country offsetting movements.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

The tapes I wore threadbare on my Walkman during cross-country practices.

From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth

Then you'll be with us on the morning cross-countries again.

From The High School Left End Dick & Co. Grilling on the Football Gridiron by H. Irving (Harrie Irving) Hancock

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