Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Overland has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
a trip by land between the UK and the Indian Sub-continent or Australia, or between the UK and South Africa.
"The explorers embarked on an overland journey from London to India, avoiding the long sea voyage across the oceans."
In plain English: Overland is an old-fashioned word for traveling across land instead of by sea or air.
"The overland route through the mountains was blocked by heavy snow, forcing everyone to take the ferry instead."
to transport (especially sheep or other farm animals) over land
"The farmer decided to drive his flock of sheep overland to find better grazing pastures."
In plain English: To overland something means to move it across land instead of using water or air travel.
"The goods were overlanded at the border before being shipped to Europe."
traveling or passing over land
"an overland journey"
"the overland route used by Marco Polo"
by or across land, especially of travel
"The explorers decided to cross the desert overland instead of taking a boat around the coast."
In plain English: Overland means traveling across land instead of using water or air to get from place to place.
"The overland route across the desert took us two days longer than expected."
Usage: Use "overland" as an adjective before a noun, such as in "an overland journey," rather than after the verb. This term specifically describes travel that occurs entirely on land instead of by sea or air.
Over, across, or by land.
"The refugees traveled overland through the mountains to escape the conflict."
Overland is formed by combining the words over and land. It entered English as a straightforward compound meaning travel across or above the ground rather than by sea or air.