Traverse

/trəˈvɜːrs/ verb

Definition

To move or travel across or through something, especially an area or obstacle.

Etymology

From Old French *traverser* “to cross,” from Latin *transversare* related to *transversus* “turned across.” It has long been used in English for crossing land, seas, and later, data or graphs.

Kelly Says

We use a fancier verb like *traverse* when the crossing feels challenging or impressive, like traversing a desert or a mountain range. In computing, you even “traverse” data structures, as if your cursor were hiking through code.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.