intercontinental
Americanadjective
-
between or among continents; involving two or more continents.
intercontinental trade.
-
traveling or capable of traveling between continents.
intercontinental airplanes.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of intercontinental
First recorded in 1850–55; inter- + continental
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Space support ships are designed to track rocket launches, satellites and intercontinental missile activity.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
China's capacity to strike Australia would grow over the next decade as "the DF-27 intermediate-range ballistic missile, and potentially a conventionally armed intercontinental ballistic missile, grow in service numbers", it said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
Instead of intercontinental ballistic missiles, armored vehicles and other military hardware, parade goers were shown a video of that equipment, either in action in Ukraine or being tested for readiness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
Defense Intelligence Agency told NBC News that Russia “probably has sent technicians to assist Tehran” with “some aspects of its missile programs” and space-launched vehicle efforts that use similar technology to intercontinental ballistic missiles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
How is it that we now have intercontinental missiles with nuclear warheads, whereas 30,000 years ago we had only sticks with flint spearheads?
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
