intersection

[in-ter-sek-shuhn]

noun

1. a place where two or more roads meet, especially when at least one is a major highway; junction.

   Synonyms: corner, crossing

2. any place of intersection or the act or fact of intersecting.

3. Mathematics.

   1. Also called meet, product. the set of elements that two or more sets have in common. ∩

   2. the greatest lower bound of two elements in a lattice.

intersection

/ ˈɪntəˌsɛk-, ˌɪntəˈsɛkʃən /

noun

1. a point at which things intersect, esp a road junction

2. the act of intersecting or the state of being intersected

3. maths

   1. a point or set of points common to two or more geometric configurations

   2. Also called: product. the set of elements that are common to two sets

   3. the operation that yields that set from a pair of given sets. Symbol: ∩, as in A ∩ B

intersection

1. The point or set of points where one line, surface, or solid crosses another.

2. The set that contains only those elements shared by two or more sets. The intersection of the sets {3,4,5,6} and {4,6,8,10} is the set {4,6}. The symbol for intersection is .

3. Compare union

Other Word Forms

• intersectional adjective
• nonintersectional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of intersection¹

First recorded in 1550–60, intersection is from the Latin word intersectiōn- (stem of intersectiō ). See intersect, -ion

Example Sentences

The traffic authority said Tesla had taken action "to address the issue" of cars going through red lights at a particular intersection in Maryland, where the problem repeatedly occurred.

Read more on BBC

“Multiple” incidents occurred at one intersection in Joppa, Md., about 20 miles northeast of Baltimore.

Read more on MarketWatch

The intersection of food and health is receiving unprecedented attention in the United States.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

A weekly must-read of news, analysis and exclusive data focused on the intersection of business, money and climate.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

They’re dirt and sand roads, but there’s intersections, there’s right of way.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• crossing 
• interchange 
• junction