crossover
/KROSS-oh-ver/noun · adjective
Meaning
A crossover is a story, episode, game, event, post, image, video, meme, or other creation that brings together characters, settings, plots, symbols, or ideas from two or more otherwise separate fictional worlds or fandoms. It may be official, such as a shared-franchise episode, or unofficial, such as fan fiction, fan art, an edit, or a meme.
- 1. A story, episode, game, or event in which characters or settings from different fictional properties meet.
- 2. A fan-created work that combines elements from two or more fandoms, whether the worlds briefly intersect or are fully blended.
- 3. An online image, video, meme, edit, or post that places unrelated fictional characters or ideas together for humor, comparison, or creative effect.
Examples
“This crossover puts the wizard school inside a space opera.”
“The edit is a crossover between two completely unrelated anime.”
“I need a crossover where the detective meets the dragon queen.”
“That fanfic is a full crossover, not just a reference.”
“This crossover meme gives every cartoon villain the same fantasy quest.”
Origin and spread
Crossover is an English compound of cross and over. The general word is much older than its fandom meaning: historical etymological records trace crossover to 1795 in calico printing, with later uses in railroading, biology, music, and other fields. Those earlier senses are not the modern fandom usage. In fan culture, the term describes stories in which characters, premises, or settings from more than one fandom coincide. A 2016 university-published fandom glossary records crossover, along with the variant x-over, and notes that a crossover can range from a slight connection to a complete blending of universes. This is evidence of circulation by 2016, not proof that the term began or became popular that year.[2]
How to use it
Crossover is neutral and widely understood in fan and entertainment discussions. The connection can be small—a cameo or shared reference—or extensive enough to merge whole fictional universes. In fanwork discussions, fusion may suggest a more thoroughly blended setting, while crossover often leaves the original worlds or characters recognizable. Because crossover also has established meanings in sports, cars, genetics, music, and other fields, context helps clarify the intended sense.
Sources
- 1. Wikipedia — Crossover (fiction)
- 2. Etymonline — Cross-over: Etymology, Origin & MeaningSupports: origin, form.
