rhizoverbBeta
DictionarytranscontinentalAcross a continent
adjective

transcontinental

tranz-kahn-tih-NEN-tuhl/ˌtrænzˌkɑːntɪˈnentl/

Crossing or spanning a continent.

The map shows a transcontinental railway joining the two coasts.

An unlabeled map of North America with one continuous railway spanning the landmass from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast.
Etymology
transLatinacross
+continentEnglishmajor landmass
+alEnglishrelating to

Continental means relating to a continent; adding trans- makes the relationship one of crossing. The word therefore describes something extending across the landmass, not merely situated somewhere within it.

In context

HISTORY0:47
At the start of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln launched America's dream of connecting the country by rail. The first transcontinental railroad was the most ambitious engineering challenge of the 19th century.
Modern Marvels: The Railroads That Tamed the Wild West (S2, E9) | Full Episode | History

More examples

  • They took a transcontinental flight.
  • The book follows a transcontinental expedition.
  • A transcontinental network linked the coastal cities.

Forms

transcontinental

Similar words

intercontinental
Intercontinental means between continents; transcontinental means across a continent.
continental
Continental concerns a continent; transcontinental specifies spanning it.