cross street: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal. Common in written directions, addresses, and spoken navigation.
Quick answer
What does “cross street” mean?
A street that intersects a main street or another street at a right angle.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A street that intersects a main street or another street at a right angle.
A smaller or secondary street that crosses a more major thoroughfare. Often used in giving directions or specifying a location relative to a main road.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. In UK English, 'side street' can be a near-synonym for a minor cross street. In detailed US urban planning contexts, 'cross street' is the more formal, standard term.
Connotations
Neutral and functional. No strong regional connotations.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English, particularly in the context of grid-pattern city layouts (e.g., Manhattan).
Grammar
How to Use “cross street” in a Sentence
The building is located ON [cross street].Turn right AT [the next cross street].It's near the INTERSECTION of [Main Street] and [a cross street].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cross street” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new bypass will cross the high street, creating a major new cross street.
American English
- The proposed light rail line will cross 5th Avenue, requiring adjustments to the cross streets.
adjective
British English
- The cross-street traffic was halted for the parade.
American English
- We observed cross-street pedestrian flow during the study.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in logistics for delivery addresses and location descriptions.
Academic
Used in urban studies, geography, and transportation planning.
Everyday
Extremely common in giving or following directions.
Technical
Standard term in cartography, addressing systems, and traffic engineering.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cross street”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cross street”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cross street”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I will cross street' is wrong).
- Confusing it with 'crossroads', which is a place where two roads cross, not the road itself.
- Omitting the article: 'Turn at cross street' should be 'Turn at *the* cross street'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is conventionally written as two separate words: 'cross street'. It can be hyphenated when used as a compound modifier (e.g., 'cross-street traffic').
Yes, though it's often a smaller street. In a grid, two major avenues can cross each other; each is a 'cross street' relative to the other.
An 'intersection' is the *place* where two streets cross. A 'cross street' is the *name* or *identity* of the street that does the crossing relative to a reference street.
It is rarely part of the official address line. It is used in supplemental directions (e.g., 'Near the corner of 5th Ave and 42nd St') to help locate a building, especially if the street number is unclear.
A street that intersects a main street or another street at a right angle.
Cross street is usually neutral to formal. common in written directions, addresses, and spoken navigation. in register.
Cross street: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɒs striːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɔːs striːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No idioms directly use 'cross street' as a fixed phrase.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a giant letter 'T' or a plus sign '+'. The horizontal top is the main road. The vertical line or the intersecting line is the CROSS street.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPACE IS A GRID. The 'cross street' conceptualises urban space as an orderly network of perpendicular lines.
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following sentences is 'cross street' used INCORRECTLY?