en route

American  

[ahn root, en, ahn root] / ɑn ˈrut, ɛn, ɑ̃ ˈrut /

adverb

1. on the way.

   The plane crashed en route from Cairo to Athens.

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en route British  

/ ɑ̃ rut, ɒn ˈruːt /

adverb

1. on or along the way; on the road

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en route Idioms  

1. On or along the way, as in We'll pick up Dan en route to the restaurant, or We can finish our discussion en route. This French term was adopted into English in the late 1700s.

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Etymology

Origin of en route

Borrowed into English from French around 1770–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

en route

However, Spanish law enforcement mobilized a mass-return effort in Ceuta, and by Friday afternoon local time, 48,300 had been sent back to Morocco, according to the Spanish government, with many more en route.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

"There's an icy shell, there's water underneath, and there's all this speculation about how that water can come from deep underground and make its way all the way up without freezing en route," Ojha said.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

I was en route to the airport in Moline, Ill., nearly three decades ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

“I know what he wants to do,” President Donald Trump told reporters en route to an event in Michigan.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

Mother informs us that Count Durufle is en route to the convent.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein