crossover

American  

[kraws-oh-ver, kros-] / ˈkrɔsˌoʊ vər, ˈkrɒs- /

noun

1. a bridge or other structure for crossing over a river, highway, etc.

2. Genetics.

   1. crossing over.

   2. a genotype resulting from crossing over.

3. Popular Music.

   1. the act of crossing over in style, usually with the intention of broadening the commercial appeal to a wider audience.

   2. music that crosses over in style, occasionally sharing attributes with several musical styles and therefore often appealing to a broader audience.

4. Also called crossover voter.  U.S. Politics. a member of one political party who votes for the candidate of another party in a primary.

5. crossover network.

6. Railroads. a track structure composed of two or more turnouts, permitting movement of cars from either of two parallel and adjacent tracks to the other.

7. Dance.

   1. a step in which dancers exchange places.

   2. a step involving partners in which the woman moves from one side of her partner to the other, crossing in front of him.

8. Bowling. a ball that strikes the side of the head pin opposite to the bowling hand of the bowler.

9. (in plumbing) a U -shaped pipe for bypassing another pipe.

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crossover British  

/ ˈkrɒsˌəʊvə /

noun

1. a place at which a crossing is made

2. genetics

   1. another term for crossing over

   2. a chromosomal structure or character resulting from crossing over

3. railways a point of transfer between two main lines

4. short for crossover network

5. a recording, book, or other product that becomes popular in a genre other than its own

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adjective

1. (of music, fashion, art, etc) combining two distinct styles

2. (of a performer, writer, recording, book, etc) having become popular in more than one genre

Etymology

Origin of crossover

First recorded in 1785–95; noun use of verb phrase cross over

Example Sentences

Volkswagen VOW3 -1.63%decrease; red down pointing triangle will stop producing the ID.4 electric crossover at its Tennessee assembly plant, the latest casualty in the U.S. auto industry’s retreat from EVs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

He is the biggest crossover star in British boxing - the guy with his own Netflix reality show, the guy who fought in the WWE.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Their music breaks genre boundaries, while artists such as Beyonce and Post Malone win fans and sell albums with their crossover efforts.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

If its viewership shares some crossover with “Rings of Power,” that shouldn’t be surprising.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Proud of a man and his wife, proud of a cause and a heartbeat that was a metronome for us long before the crossover audience considered them worthy of praise.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey