Expressway
/ɪkˈsprɛsˌweɪ/
Definitions
A high-speed road, typically with multiple lanes and limited access, designed for fast long-distance travel.
/ɪkˈsprɛsˌweɪ/
A high-speed highway.
The city's expressway system helps to reduce traffic congestion.
💡 Simply: It's like a super-fast road for cars, like the fast track at a theme park, but for driving! They're made so you can get from one place to another really quickly, avoiding traffic lights and stop signs. For example, "We took the expressway to get to the airport and saved an hour."
👶 For kids: A big, fast road that cars can drive on to go far away quickly.
More Examples
Construction on the new expressway is expected to be completed next year.
Heavy traffic can cause delays on the expressway during rush hour.
How It's Used
"Traffic was backed up for miles on the expressway due to an accident."
From 'express' (referring to speed) + 'way'. The term emerged in the mid-20th century with the development of high-speed, limited-access roads designed for efficient travel.
The term 'expressway' became prevalent in the US in the mid-20th century with the expansion of the interstate highway system.
Memory tip
Think of an 'express' train - a highway is an 'express way' for cars.