decussate

SYLLABICATION:
de·cus·sate
PRONUNCIATION:
AUDIO: d-kst, dk-st KEY
TRANSITIVE &
INTRANSITIVE
VERB:
Inflected forms: de·cus·sat·ed, de·cus·sat·ing,
de·cus·sates
To cross or become crossed so as to form an X; intersect.
ADJECTIVE:
1. Intersected or crossed in the form of an X.
2. Botany Arranged on a stem in opposite pairs at right
angles to those above or below, resulting in four vertical
rows: decussate leaves.
ETYMOLOGY:
Latin decussre, decusst-, from decussis, the number
ten, intersection of two lines (from the Romans' use of X
for the numeral 10), a ten-as coin : decem, ten; see dek
in Appendix I + assis, as (coin).
OTHER FORMS:
de·cussately —ADVERB

Also used in neuroanatomy to describe nervous pathways crossing from left to right, and right to left.