intersectional

adjective

in·​ter·​sec·​tion·​al ˌin-tər-ˈsek-sh(ə-)nəl 

1

a

: of or relating to intersectionality

Because the intersectional experience is greater than the sum of racism and sexism, any analysis that does not take intersectionality into account cannot sufficiently address the particular manner in which Black women are subordinated.

—Kimberlé Crenshaw

b

: involving members of multiple social categories

… I was near my home, in the midst of a multiracial, multigenerational, intersectional protest. I joined hundreds of others in the streets.

—Kira Banks

2

[inter- + sectional entry 1] : existing between sections

intersectional war

an intersectional game

3

: of or relating to an intersection

intersectional joints/lines

Examples of intersectional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And the greatest intersectional rivalry in college football could come to a hard stop as the two schools attempt to negotiate an extension to make the 96th meeting between Notre Dame and USC something other than a finale. —Pete Sampson, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

Those issues include intersectional environmental justice, cultural identity, social inequality, gender inequality, overconsumption and textile waste colonialism. —Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 7 Oct. 2025

Cunningham’s debut was met with a guest list that reflected this intersectional spirit. —Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025

Tabone connects Jemisin’s work to intersectional feminist praxis, Afrofuturism, and twenty-first-century anti-racist political movements including Black Lives Matter. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for intersectional

• bidirectional
• affectional
• correctional
• directional
• inflectional
• multidirectional
• omnidirectional
• unidirectional
• sectional