Transcontinental

/ˌtrænzkənˈtɪnəntəl/ adjective

Definition

Spanning across an entire continent from one side to the other.

Etymology

From Latin 'trans-' meaning across, combined with 'continental' from 'continens' meaning continuous land. The word was created in the 19th century to describe railroad and transportation routes crossing continents.

Kelly Says

The first transcontinental railroad in America (completed 1869) literally connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, shrinking travel time from months to just a week—and it totally changed how people thought about distance!

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