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mo·to·cross

(mōtō-krôs′, -krŏs′)

A cross-country motorcycle race over a closed course of rough terrain with steep hills and sharp curves. Also called scramble.

[French moto-cross : moto, motorcycle (short for motocyclette, from moto-, motor, from moteur, from Latin mōtor, mover; see MOTOR) + English CROSS(-COUNTRY).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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