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

Spain, the reigning European champion, last advanced beyond the round of 16 at the World Cup in 2010, when it allowed just two goals en route to its only title.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

The plane had been en route to Karachi from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

Towbin said he has deposits from customers for nearly every Topolino at or en route to his store.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

False rumors that Benjamin Franklin, en route from France to Philadelphia, had been captured by Barbary pirates caused a sensation.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

Customarily, en route from Montclair to Nantucket, we spent the night in a hotel in New London, Connecticut.

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey