Silk Road

American  

[silk rohd] / ˈsɪlk ˈroʊd /

Sometimes Silk Route

noun

1. an ancient, 4,000-mile network of trade routes linking China with the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian subcontinent during the time of the Roman Empire, and later revived during the Middle Ages: named for the lucrative trade in silk from China to the West.

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Etymology

Origin of Silk Road

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Indeed, history is filled with examples of this, from the medieval Black Death hitchhiking along the Silk Road to the “Russian flu” pandemic of the late 19th century that was accelerated by trains and steamships.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

Beijing is pursuing what it calls a Polar Silk Road.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026

Beijing views future sea routes through the High North as a shortcut for global commerce, a so-called Polar Silk Road.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

China is investing heavily to advance its New Silk Road initiative, a massive transport and infrastructure project to boost land routes between Asia and Europe.

From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025

After lunch, Mr. Rothman drones on about the Silk Road.

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon

Related Words

• sea lane