transcontinental
Americanadjective
-
passing or extending across a continent.
a transcontinental railroad.
-
on the other, or far, side of a continent.
adjective
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crossing a continent
-
on or from the far side of a continent
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of transcontinental
An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; trans- + continental
Explanation
When you fly from New York to California, you can describe your flight as transcontinental, crossing the continent of North America. Use the adjective transcontinental when something goes from one side of a continent to the other, like the European transcontinental railroad called the Orient Express or an airplane flight across Asia. In the nineteenth century, the First Transcontinental Railroad was built in the United States. As well as being the first railway to cross an entire continent, it also marked the coining of the word transcontinental, from trans, "across," and continental, "of a continent."
Vocabulary lists containing transcontinental
Power Prefix: trans-
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American History I
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STAAR U.S. History 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cooke then backed transcontinental railways and didn’t realize how much of a disaster it was.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
That was the case with the first transcontinental railroad.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
In Josephson’s phrase he “roved through the West eyeing the ruined hulks of transcontinental railroads,” scooping up the “rich debris.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Sometimes, all you need is a touch of nostalgia, and San Marino's here to show why with the transcontinental disco grooves of Superstar.
From BBC ● May 8, 2026
Specific tactics included motorcades, parades, banners, billboards, transcontinental automobile trips, and speaking tours—all designed to educate the public about why women deserved the vote.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
