intercontinental

American  

[in-ter-kon-tn-en-tl] / ˌɪn tərˌkɒn tnˈɛn tl /

adjective

1. between or among continents; involving two or more continents.

   intercontinental trade.

2. traveling or capable of traveling between continents.

   intercontinental airplanes.

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intercontinental British  

/ ˌɪntəˌkɒntɪˈnɛntəl /

adjective

1. relating to travel, commerce, relations, etc, between continents

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Etymology

Origin of intercontinental

First recorded in 1850–55; inter- + continental

Example Sentences

It rounded off a marathon qualification process that began in September 2023 and spanned six confederations before culminating in the high‑stakes Uefa and intercontinental play‑offs on 31 March.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Officials also confirmed that an exchange regarding intercontinental ballistic missiles had taken place between Anthropic and the Pentagon, underscoring the sensitivity of the applications at the heart of the dispute.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

But a space launch system doesn’t include a re-entry vehicle with heat shielding that could protect a potential nuclear payload over an intercontinental distance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

Next month, Guadalajara and Monterrey will host intercontinental playoff matches for some of the final spots in the World Cup field.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

If the new "space race" made Americans fear that they were falling behind the Soviets, a new arms race—involving intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs—added a terrifying new dimension to the Cold War.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

Related Words

• foreign
• global
• universal