trade route

noun

1

: one of the sea-lanes ordinarily used by merchant ships

2

: a route followed by traders (as in caravans)

Examples of trade route in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nothing invites you to imagine yourself in those thousands of years of summer hunts and trade routes, when the first people of this nation crossed the Continental Divide, rather than the sliver of time represented by the cabins and the falsefronts. — Téa Obreht, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026

The waters around Sicily, which was colonized by the ancient Greeks and later conquered by the Romans around 240 BC, constituted one of the ancient world’s most important trade routes. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Iran and Oman, which also borders the strait, have been holding talks to try to resolve the trade route’s future. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026

The sheer number of ships − study authors cite at least 1,500 vessels − idled near the trade route and the length of time involved are just the beginning. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for trade route

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute

Kids Definition

trade route

noun

1

: one of the sea-lanes used by merchant ships

2

: a route followed by traders (as in caravans)