Home › Everyday Transportation & Driving › Ridesharing & Taxis › transit

transit

TRAN-sit /ˈtrænsɪt/

nounverbB2IELTSTOEFLGRE

GeneralFormal

The carrying of people or goods from one place to another; public transportation systems.

Broad organizational term covering organized mass travel networks, trains, buses, and subways.

The story behind the word. From Latin 'transitus', noun of action from 'transire' (combining 'trans-' across + 'ire' to go). It historically described passing across borders or celestial movements of planets across the sky.

Word relationships

transportation: 'Transportation' is broader, while 'transit' heavily stresses movement along public networks or through pass-through zones.
conveyance: 'Conveyance' is a formal legal term for any vehicle or act of carrying.

stagnation: 'Stagnation' is staying completely still without movement.
stoppage: 'Stoppage' is the halt of traffic or movement.

Commonly confused with

trance: 'Trance' is a half-conscious state, whereas 'transit' is passage or transportation.

Word family

transition (noun): Process of changing state or place.
transitory (adjective): Not permanent; fleeting.

Collocations

public transit
mass transit
transit authority
in transit
transit hub

Idioms & expressions

in transit

Example sentences

"The city invested heavily in mass transit to diminish downtown vehicular congestion." Urban planning
"Passengers in transit must remain in the secure international lounge area." Travel status

Memory hook

TRANSIT takes you TRANS-across the city. Moving across town.

When not to use

Do not use 'transit' to refer strictly to walking on foot inside a house.

Fun facts

The world's busiest public transit system by annual rides is the Tokyo subway network, carrying over 3.4 billion passengers yearly!