crosswalk

American  

[kraws-wawk, kros-] / ˈkrɔsˌwɔk, ˈkrɒs- /

noun

1. a lane marked off for pedestrians to use when crossing a street, as at an intersection.

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crosswalk British  

/ ˈkrɒsˌwɔːk /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): pedestrian crossing.  a path across a road marked as a crossing for pedestrians See also zebra crossing pelican crossing

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Etymology

Origin of crosswalk

First recorded in 1735–45; cross- + walk

Explanation

A crosswalk is a marked walkway across a road or street. Crosswalks make it safer for pedestrians to cross the street. Another term for a crosswalk is a "pedestrian crossing," a path for people to use when they cross the street. Some crosswalks are simply painted lines on the road, while others have traffic signals that show you when it's safe to cross. The earliest, 18th century version of a crosswalk was a path in a garden that cut across other paths, and by the 1850s it meant "pedestrian crossing."

Example Sentences

Customers like the photos that capture the capybaras doing something human-like: crossing a street at a crosswalk, or lined up as if to pose for him.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

Former Major League Baseball player Royce Clayton took the stand Friday in the wrongful death civil trial of Rebecca Grossman, who fatally hit two boys with her car in a Westlake Village crosswalk in 2020.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

We’re mostly side by side, but I tend to drift in front of her, especially if one of us is on the phone, or we’re trying to beat a crosswalk red light.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

In Westwood, an activist with the group People’s Vision Zero was cited for vandalism while painting a crosswalk without a permit, highlighting the legal risks of unauthorized safety efforts.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

I arrived at the crosswalk before the BMW driver showed up, and there was no near-miss accident.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• bridge
• crossroad
• intersection
• junction
• overpass
• passage