intersection

[in-ter-sek-shuh n] /ˌɪn tərˈsɛk ʃən/

noun

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

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

Mathematics.

Also called meet, product. the set of elements that two or more sets have in common. Symbol: ∩.
the greatest lower bound of two elements in a lattice.

Origin

1550-60; < Latin intersectiōn- (stem of intersectiō). See intersect, -ion

Related forms

intersectional, adjective

nonintersectional, adjective

Synonyms

1. crossroads, crossing, corner.

Examples from the web for intersection

Cross the bridge and walk straight ahead to the intersection.
Entrance and exit ramps connect the streets at every intersection.
It continues to be a city that creates its own history at the intersection where both continents meet.
He wants to show me a favorite intersection he designed.
Spotting a trend at the intersection of technology and romance.
We typically seek projects engaging one or more big questions lying within and at the intersection of multiple disciplines.
Most rear-end, road-departure, lane-change and intersection accidents are preventable.
The police said the officers had a green light at the intersection when the accident occurred.
It looks at the intersection of gender and race, among other things.
Credit economists focusing on the intersection of macroeconomics and finance.

British Dictionary definitions for intersection

intersection

/ˌɪntəˈsɛkʃən; ˈɪntəˌsɛk-/

noun

a point at which things intersect, esp a road junction

the act of intersecting or the state of being intersected

(maths)

a point or set of points common to two or more geometric configurations
Also called product. the set of elements that are common to two sets
the operation that yields that set from a pair of given sets. Symbol: ∩, as in A ∩ B

Derived Forms

intersectional, adjective

Word Origin and History for intersection

"act or fact of crossing," 1550s, from Middle French intersection (14c.) and directly from Latin intersectionem (nominative intersectio) "a cutting asunder, intersection," noun of action from past participle stem of intersecare "intersect, cut asunder," from inter- "between" (see inter-) + secare "to cut" (see section). Originally a term in geometry; meaning "crossroads" is from 1864.

intersection in Science

intersection

(ĭn'tər-sěk'shən)

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