motocross

American  

[moh-toh-kraws, -kros] / ˈmoʊ toʊˌkrɔs, -ˌkrɒs /

noun

motocrosses plural

1. a timed motorcycle race over a closed course consisting of a winding dirt trail with hills, jumps, sharp turns, and often muddy terrain. MX

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motocross British  

/ ˈməʊtəˌkrɒs /

noun

1. a motorcycle race across very rough ground

2. another name for rallycross See also autocross

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• motocrosses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of motocross

First recorded in 1945–50; from French: equivalent to moto(rcycle) + cross(-country)

Explanation

Motocross, or MX, is a high-intensity, physically demanding form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed dirt circuits. The sport of motocross involves riders competing side-by-side, racing over dirt mounds and banked corners. The term motocross originated in the 1940s as a portmanteau of the French moto (short for motocyclette, meaning "motorcycle") and the English cross-country. The sport evolved from an English version called scrambling, and became popular in the U.S. in the 1960s. Modern motocross, or "dirt bike" racing, features mass starts of up to 40 riders charging toward the first turn of the track to gain an advantage in the race. MX is a high-intensity, physically demanding sport.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

motocross motocrosses

There are also synchronized motocross jumps in front of the White House, which feels like a 12-year-old’s doodle come to life.

From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026

The Paris public prosecutor's office announced the death of a young man in his twenties after he crashed head-on into concrete blocks on a Paris ring road exit ramp on his motocross bike.

From Barron's ● May 31, 2026

Few were better at it than Mr. Lagerfeld, who with his powdered ponytail, dark glasses and fingerless motocross gloves was a cartoon unto himself, but he was far from the only one.

From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2024

Pink, who’s married to former motocross racer Carey Hart — with whom she has a 12-year-old daughter, Willow, and a 6-year-old son, Jameson — will stop at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on Thursday night.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2023

“In motocross racing, it’s against the rules to get off your bike. I think he cheated.”

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

The matchup between the Big Os was almost enough to block out all the dancing girls, jumping boys, fireworks, laser lights, eardrum-pounding music and halftime motocrosses that are part of the show in Orlando.

From Time Magazine Archive