intermodal

American  

[in-ter-mohd-l] / ˌɪn tərˈmoʊd l /

adjective

Transportation.

1. pertaining to or suitable for transportation involving more than one form of carrier, as truck and rail, or truck, ship, and rail.

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intermodal British  

/ ˌɪntəˈməʊdəl /

adjective

1. (of a transport system) using different modes of conveyance in conjunction, such as ships, aircraft, road vehicles, etc

2. (of a container) able to be carried by different modes of conveyance without being unpacked

3. psychol denoting an interaction between different senses

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Other Word Forms

• intermodalism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of intermodal

First recorded in 1960–65; inter- + modal

Explanation

Intermodal means using more than one form of transportation, especially to ship goods from one place to another. Intermodal shipment might include both a train and a cargo ship. Intermodal usually describes the overseas shipping industry: goods might be sent in a shipping container that starts on a freight train, is moved to a ship, and is finally loaded onto a truck. For passenger travel, an intermodal trip might involve taking the bus to the train station, then traveling by rail to the airport. Intermodal, coined in the mid-20th century, comes from inter-, "between," and modal, "pertaining to a mode or variety."

Example Sentences

The company cited higher merchandise pricing, intermodal volume growth, and increased fuel surcharge revenue for the revenue rise.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Volumes improved in the company’s intermodal, trucking, and freight brokerage businesses.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Hunt said it decided to prioritize network balance and normalize its freight flows between ports on the east and west coasts, which pressured transcontinental volumes in intermodal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

At the same time, intermodal traffic in Canada continues to increase, with shipments originating in Canada up an eighth straight month to the second-highest volume on record for the month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

The company’s intermodal business expands profit margins despite low volume growth, while the truckload business sees lower income on higher sales.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025