Meaning & use
transatlantic
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Crossing or spanning the Atlantic Ocean.
Grammar: Used before a noun, as in 'a transatlantic flight'; not usually after a verb.
Patterns
- transatlantic flight
- transatlantic crossing
- transatlantic trade
We took a transatlantic flight from London to New York.
The first transatlantic telegraph cable was laid in the 1850s.
Transatlantic shipping lanes are among the busiest in the world.
adjectivebefore a noun
Involving or relating to countries on both sides of the Atlantic, especially Europe and North America.
Grammar: Often used for political, economic, or cultural relations.
Patterns
- transatlantic relations
- transatlantic alliance
- transatlantic cooperation
The two leaders discussed transatlantic security issues.
Transatlantic trade talks resumed after a long pause.
She studies transatlantic literature of the nineteenth century.
adjectivebefore a noun
Situated on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Grammar: Used to describe a location or perspective from the opposite shore.
Patterns
- transatlantic viewpoint
- transatlantic neighbor
From a transatlantic perspective, the issue looks quite different.
His transatlantic accent puzzled listeners on both continents.
Common combinations
- transatlantic flight
- The transatlantic flight took about seven hours.
- transatlantic relations
- Transatlantic relations have grown stronger in recent years.
- transatlantic cable
- The transatlantic cable improved communication between Europe and America.
- transatlantic trade
- Transatlantic trade generates billions of dollars annually.
Synonyms and how they differ
- overseas
- Broader; means across any sea, not specifically the Atlantic.
- intercontinental
- Means between continents; can refer to any continents, not just Europe and the Americas.
Word family
- Atlantic proper noun
- The ocean between Europe/Africa and the Americas.
Commonly confused: transatlantic or transpacific?
transatlantic vs transpacific
Refers to crossing the Pacific Ocean, not the Atlantic.
Practice
The company operates ______ flights between Paris and Montreal.
Choose one answer.
The route crosses the Atlantic Ocean, so 'transatlantic' is correct. 'Transpacific' would be across the Pacific, and 'transcontinental' means across a continent.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “transatlantic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.