multi-carriageway
|mul/ti/car/ri/dge/way|
/ˌmʌltiˈkærɪdʒweɪ/
road with multiple separated carriageways
Etymology
'multi-carriageway' originates from the prefix 'multi-' (from Latin 'multus', meaning 'many') combined with the noun 'carriageway' (itself formed from 'carriage' + 'way').
'carriage' comes from Old North French/Old French 'carriage' and ultimately Latin 'carrus' meaning 'wheeled vehicle'; 'way' comes from Old English 'weg'. The compound 'carriageway' arose in English in the 19th century to mean a road for carriages and later motor vehicles, and the prefix 'multi-' was attached in modern usage to indicate more than one carriageway, producing 'multi-carriageway.'
Originally 'carriageway' meant a road for horse-drawn carriages; over time it came to mean any roadway for vehicle traffic. 'Multi-carriageway' now denotes a road composed of multiple separate carriageways for traffic.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a road consisting of two or more separate carriageways (separate roadways for traffic, often divided by a central reservation), typically allowing traffic to flow in each direction on its own carriageway.
The new bypass was built as a multi-carriageway to improve traffic flow between the towns.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
having multiple carriageways; used to describe a road or section of road that comprises more than one carriageway.
A multi-carriageway section of the route reduces congestion during rush hour.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/14 03:24