intersect

American  

[in-ter-sekt] / ˌɪn tərˈsɛkt /

verb (used with object)

1. to cut or divide by passing through or across.

   The highway intersects the town.

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verb (used without object)

1. to cross, as lines or wires.

2. Geometry. to have one or more points in common.

   intersecting lines.

intersect British  

/ ˌɪntəˈsɛkt /

verb

1. to divide, cut, or mark off by passing through or across

2. (esp of roads) to cross (each other)

3. maths (often foll by with) to have one or more points in common (with another configuration)

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Other Word Forms

• nonintersecting
  adjective
• self-intersecting
  adjective
• unintersected
  adjective
• unintersecting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of intersect

1605–15; < Latin intersectus, past participle of intersecāre “to cut through, sever”; see inter- ( def. ), -sect ( def. )

Explanation

When two things intersect, they run into each other, or lie across each other. Your street might intersect with a main avenue, and your life will hopefully intersect with the lives of other interesting people. In geometry, when a line intersects another line, they meet at exactly one point, and when a circle intersects a line, there are two points where they touch each other. When two streets intersect, you get an intersection, where you'll often find a stop sign or traffic signal. The Latin root of intersect is intersectus, "intersect or cut asunder," which combines inter-, "between," and secare, "to cut."

Example Sentences

Over the last five years, there has been a significant shift in how fashion and sports intersect, both on and off the court, with athletes’ influence extending beyond the court and into culture at large.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

At the points where these filaments intersect, galaxies form and shine brightly.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

McKenna’s screenplay confidently moves the pieces back into place, positioning all the characters in proximity before expanding them naturally so their lives can intersect once more.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

As noted in its foreword, the Reference Manual provides a dispassionate guide for judges who may need help understanding the background science in cases where science and law intersect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

We could intersect with it in a thirty-minute walk.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• converge
• cross