Motorcross

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A competitive sport that involves racing motorcycles on off-road tracks featuring jumps and obstacles
2. A demanding event characterized by high speeds and skilled maneuvers over varied terrains
3. A popular form of motorsport where riders navigate challenging courses designed for dirt bikes and motocross vehicles

Etymology: "Motorcross" is a spelling variant of "motocross," the name for off-road motorcycle racing over rough, hilly courses. The version with "motor" in it is an alteration of the older form, and it arose by association with the English word "motor," which is itself a shortened form of "motor car" or "motorcycle." Writers seem to have treated the first half of the compound as a clearer reference to the machine, even though the word's real first element is the Latin-derived "moto-," from "motocyclette," the French term for motorcycle. The second half, "cross," comes from "cross-country," a reference to racing across open terrain rather than on a paved track. The sport developed in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, and the term spread into English with it. The spelling "motorcross" is a popular variant rather than a separate formation, so the two forms describe exactly the same activity.

Synonyms: motocross, off-road motorcycle racing