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

plural

cross-countries

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

Etymology

Origin of cross-country

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

But his next book will combine the two — in addition to the familiar Virginia setting, the action will go cross-country and reach Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Glen Eberle, an Idaho native, represented Team USA in 1984 in biathlon—a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

At first blush, there’s little reason for state legislators in Mississippi and Georgia to care about James Quigley’s cross-country move with his family to Florida from Washington state.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Trucks have shipped video tapes cross-country from a storage facility in Burbank to a new facility in New Jersey that houses the CBS News archives.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

In Gym, Coach Quatrini announced that he was planning to form the Camillo Junior High School cross-country team.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt