intersect
/ɪntɚˈsɛkt/verb, adjective
intersect is spelled I-N-T-E-R-S-E-C-T: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.5 times per million words in written English, the 22,651st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, intersect means “To cut into or between; to cut or cross mutually; to divide into parts” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in intersect?
| Letters | 9: I-N-T-E-R-S-E-C-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.5 times per million words; the 22,651st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is intersect?
Intersect appears 1.5 times per million words in written English, the 22,651st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce intersect?
- UK /ɪntəˈsɛkt/
- US /ɪntɚˈsɛkt/
Intersect has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-I_learned_some_phrases-intersect.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with intersect?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as intersect from its last stressed vowel (/ɛkt/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of intersect
- intersects present, singular, he/she/it
- intersecting participle, present
- intersected participle, past
- more intersect comparative
- most intersect superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does intersect mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To cut into or between; to cut or cross mutually; to divide into parts.
Parallel lines don't intersect.
- 2
Of two sets, to have at least one element in common.
adjective
- 1
Between sects; intersectarian.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Intersect in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense to cross each other; to cut each other:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | intersecter, interséquer |
| German | sich schneiden |
| Portuguese | intersectar, intersetar |
| Spanish | intersecarse, interseccionar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does intersect come from?
From Latin intersecare (“to cut between, cut off”), from inter (“between”) + secare (“to cut”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).