Other forms: interstates
An interstate is a major road running between states. Take the interstate, on the interstate, the interstate system.
The American system was built from 1956 and was justified partly as defence infrastructure, which is why it is formally named after Eisenhower. As an adjective it means simply between states, as in interstate commerce.
1nouninterstateA major road running between states.
“We drove along the interstate for hours before stopping at a motel.”
interstate is a road.
Inter-, between, plus state, shortened from interstate highway.
Proto-Indo-European
*ters-
Vulgar Latin
*interrāre — to put in earth
Old French
enterrer
Middle English
enteren
English
inter
English, today
interstate
From inter- + state, originally as an adjective only; the noun is by ellipsis from interstate highway. The noun also serves adjectivally as a noun adjunct in such collocations as interstate construction and interstate rest stops. inter comes from Middle English enteren, borrowed from Old French enterrer, enterer, from Vulgar Latin interrāre (“to put in earth”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA