express
ik-SPRES
/ɪkˈspres/
Operating at high speed with few or no stops along a public transport route.
Contrasts with 'local' transport, skipping minor stops to reduce total journey time.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'expressus' (clearly stated, squeezed out). In 19th-century railway terminology, 'express' referred to trains dispatched directly for a specific fast purpose without ordinary intermediate stops.
Word relationships
- direct: 'Direct' means no changing of vehicles, whereas 'express' means skipping intermediate stops.
- local: A 'local' transit service stops at every station on the route.
Commonly confused with
- direct: An express train skips stops; a direct train doesn't require transferring, but might still stop frequently.
Word family
- expressly (adverb): Explicitly or specifically for a purpose.
Collocations
- express train
- express route
- express service
- express bus
Example sentences
- "Taking the express train cuts twenty minutes off the journey into the financial center." Choosing transit options
- "Passengers were informed that the next service on Platform 2 would be an express." Station announcements
Memory hook
EXPRESS trains PRESS forward without unnecessary stops. Fast service that skips local stops.
When not to use
Do not use for services that stop at every single minor station along a line.
Fun facts
- The Orient Express, launched in 1883, became world-famous as a luxury long-distance train.
Explore more words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.