Crossover
'krɒsˌoʊvər
Definitions
3 meaningsA place where one crosses from one side to another; the act or point of intersection, especially between two things.
'krɒsˌoʊvər
A point or place of crossing, or the act of crossing.
The new bridge provided a much-needed crossover for commuters.
💡 Simply: It's like a path or bridge that lets you go from one side to the other, like a crosswalk or when one idea meets another.
👶 For kids: A crossover is like a special path that lets you go from one side to the other, like crossing the street at a crosswalk!
More Examples
The band's latest album is a crossover, blending rock and pop genres.
The crossover in the river was shallow enough to wade through.
How It's Used
"The pedestrian crossover provides a safe place to cross the busy street."
"The audio crossover filters frequencies sent to the speakers."
A product, artist, or trend that gains popularity across different markets, genres, or demographic groups.
'krɒsˌoʊvər
A product or artist that appeals to a wider audience, often across different genres or demographics.
Her novel was a crossover success, appealing to both young adults and adults.
💡 Simply: When something becomes popular with a new group of people, like a song that everyone loves, no matter what music they usually listen to.
👶 For kids: It's like when a toy or a game is liked by lots of different kids, even if they don't usually play the same things!
More Examples
The new sports car is a crossover model combining features from SUVs and sedans.
The artist's music achieved a crossover success, attracting fans from multiple genres.
How It's Used
"The artist achieved a crossover hit, gaining popularity in both country and pop music charts."
"The superhero movie features a crossover with characters from another franchise."
To move or extend across; to transfer or introduce (something) from one area to another.
'krɒsˌoʊvər
To move or extend across something.
The basketball player crossed over the defender with a quick dribble.
💡 Simply: To go from one side to the other, or to change something from one place or area to another.
👶 For kids: It's like going from one place to another, maybe by crossing a line or moving things between places.
More Examples
The company is looking to crossover its technologies to a new market.
The artist's work began to crossover into the mainstream art scene.
How It's Used
"The basketball player used a crossover dribble to get past his defender."
"The company plans to crossover their marketing efforts into a new demographic."
Idioms & expressions
crossover appeal
The ability of a product, artist, or idea to appeal to a wide range of people or markets.
"The movie's crossover appeal made it a box office success."
crossover hit
A song or artist that achieves popularity across different music genres or charts.
"The band's crossover hit reached the top of both pop and rock charts."
From 'cross' (to go across) + 'over' (across). The term's usage expanded from physical crossings to metaphorical ones, particularly in music and culture.
The term 'crossover' originally described the physical act of crossing, evolving to represent a wider range of transitions and integrations.
Memory tip
Imagine a literal crossing to remember its meaning, like a bridge (crossing over) or an intersection of ideas.
Word Origin
"'cross' - to go across, 'over' - from one side to the other."