Crossroad
/ˈkrɒsˌroʊd/noun
A road that intersects another road, especially at right angles.
Did you know?In European folklore, crossroads were liminal places where bargains, omens, and supernatural encounters were believed to happen, which is why the word still feels charged with fate.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
cros
“A cross; later also the sign of the cross”
Old English
OE
rād
“A riding, journey, or road”
Middle English
ME
cros rode
“A road that crosses another road”
Late Middle English
ME
crossrode
“A place where roads intersect”
Modern English
English
crossroad
“An intersection of roads”