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.

---

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)

---

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”; inter- ( def. ), -sect ( def. )

Example Sentences

These particles then follow Earth's magnetic field lines, some of which extend far enough into space to intersect the moon's orbit.

From Science Daily

The most interesting competitive dynamic sits further out in time, and it intersects with Canada’s own efforts to reduce its dependence on the U.S. oil market.

From Barron's

“The unexpected gas intersected, as announced today, could potentially mean the cluster holds a larger amount of gas than previously estimated,” Euroz says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Four of the nine major routes they follow intersect in China.

From BBC

These two sets of tensions sometimes intersect, but when they don’t, the Manchurian side of things feels like a distraction from the central theme of the book.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• converge
• cross