en route
En route (adverb) means On the way to a place; during a journey. Example: “The parcel is en route and should arrive on Thursday.”
How to Use En route
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOn the way somewhere.
Neutral; extremely common in travel, delivery and aviation contexts.
Follow it with "to" for the destination and "from" for the starting point: en route from Leeds to York.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The parcel is _____ and should arrive on Thursday.
Etymology
From French en route, literally "on the road".
Synonyms
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Rhymes for en route
See all rhymes for en route →Frequently Asked Questions
Is it en route or on route?
En route is the correct spelling, borrowed from French. "On route" is a common misspelling that arises because the phrase is often pronounced as though it began with the English word on.
How do you pronounce en route?
Most speakers say "on root", keeping the French nasal-ish first syllable and the oo vowel. "En rout", with the vowel of shout, is heard in American English but is less usual.
Do you need a hyphen in en route?
No. It is written as two separate words, and it is no longer italicised in ordinary English writing.