überkreuzte

Überkreuzte is a German adjective or past participle meaning “criss-crossed” or “crossed over.” It is formed from überkreuzen, itself built from über- (across, over) and Kreuz (cross). The term is used to describe arrangements where elements cross each other or form an X-like pattern.

In textiles and fashion, überkreuzte describes patterns or constructions where components cross. Examples include überkreuzte Schnürung (criss-cross lacing), überkreuzte Träger (cross-straps), or decorations and structural elements that cross at the front, back, or sides. In clothing design, it may indicate decorative or functional features that cross over each other.

In anatomy and posture, the word can denote positions in which limbs cross. Common usages include überkreuzte Beine (crossed legs) or überkreuzte Arme, describing how limbs are arranged rather than a fixed structure.

In design, graphic arts, and heraldry, überkreuzte Linien or Muster refer to crossing lines or patterns that create Criss-cross or X-shaped motifs. The term is largely descriptive and widely understood in German-speaking contexts as indicating a criss-cross arrangement.

In linguistics, the term appears in phrases such as überkreuzte Abhängigkeiten to describe crossing dependencies in syntactic structures, a concept used to discuss non-projective relationships in some languages and to distinguish them from non-crossing patterns.

Usage notes: überkreuzte can function attributively (eine überkreuzte Schnürung) or predicatively (die Schnürung ist überkreuzt). While broadly descriptive, the term can carry domain-specific precision when used in technical contexts.