intersection

[in-ter-sek-shuhn]

noun

1. a place where two or more roads meet, especially when at least one is a major highway; junction.

   Synonyms: corner, crossing

2. any place of intersection or the act or fact of intersecting.

3. Mathematics.

   1. Also called meet, product. the set of elements that two or more sets have in common. ∩

   2. the greatest lower bound of two elements in a lattice.

intersection

/ ˈɪntəˌsɛk-, ˌɪntəˈsɛkʃən /

noun

1. a point at which things intersect, esp a road junction

2. the act of intersecting or the state of being intersected

3. maths

   1. a point or set of points common to two or more geometric configurations

   2. Also called: product. the set of elements that are common to two sets

   3. the operation that yields that set from a pair of given sets. Symbol: ∩, as in A ∩ B

intersection

1. The point or set of points where one line, surface, or solid crosses another.

2. The set that contains only those elements shared by two or more sets. The intersection of the sets {3,4,5,6} and {4,6,8,10} is the set {4,6}. The symbol for intersection is .

3. Compare union

Other Word Forms

• intersectional adjective
• nonintersectional adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of intersection¹

First recorded in 1550–60, intersection is from the Latin word intersectiōn- (stem of intersectiō ). See intersect, -ion

Example Sentences

When a battalion chief arrived at the scene to investigate the crash, they were involved in another collision at the same intersection.

From Los Angeles Times

Koerner said the two deputies were traveling northbound on South Vermont Avenue when another vehicle traveling eastbound struck them near the intersection with West 98th Street.

From Los Angeles Times

The storm remains a reminder of the intersection between climate risk, resource allocation and the ongoing need for robust federal support to protect communities.

From Salon

The new galleries, explained Govan, will focus on “migration and intersection, rather than American art over on one side of the museum and European art in a different wing.”

From Los Angeles Times

I am a researcher who studies the intersection of data governance, digital technologies and the U.S. federal government.

From Salon

Related Words

• crossing 
• interchange 
• junction