tract

¹ American  

[trakt] / trækt /

noun

1. an expanse or area of land, water, etc.; region; stretch.

   Synonyms:

   territory, district

2. Anatomy.

   1. a definite region or area of the body, especially a group, series, or system of related parts or organs.

      the digestive tract.

   2. a bundle of nerve fibers having a common origin and destination.

3. a stretch or period of time; interval; lapse.

4. Roman Catholic Church. an anthem consisting of verses of Scripture, sung after the gradual in the Mass from Septuagesima until the day before Easter and on certain other occasions, taking the place of the alleluias and the verse that ordinarily accompany the gradual.

5. Ornithology. a pteryla.

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tract ² American  

[trakt] / trækt /

noun

1. a brief treatise or pamphlet for general distribution, usually on a religious or political topic.

   Synonyms:

   disquisition, homily, essay

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tract ¹ British  

/ trækt /

noun

1. an extended area, as of land

2. anatomy a system of organs, glands, or other tissues that has a particular function

   the digestive tract

3. a bundle of nerve fibres having the same function, origin, and termination

   the optic tract

4. archaic an extended period of time

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tract ² British  

/ trækt /

noun

1. a treatise or pamphlet, esp a religious or moralistic one

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tract ³ British  

/ trækt /

noun

1. RC Church an anthem in some Masses

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tract Scientific  

/ trăkt /

1. A series of body organs that work together to perform a specialized function, such as digestion.

2. A bundle of nerve fibers, especially in the central nervous system, that begin and end in the same place and share a common function.

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Etymology

Origin of tract¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; (in senses referring to extent of space) from Latin tractus “stretch (of space or time), a drawing out,” equivalent to trac-, variant stem of trahere “to draw” + -tus suffix of verbal action; tract ¹ def. 4 is from Medieval Latin tractus, apparently identical with the above, though literal sense unexplained

Origin of tract¹

1400–50; late Middle English tracte, apparently shortening of Medieval Latin tractātus tractate

Example Sentences

Muscle fibers guide physical force, intestinal fibers support the motion of the digestive tract, and brain fibers carry electrical signals that allow different regions to exchange information.

From Science Daily

The 125-year-old company is the largest private owner of timberland in North America, with over 10 million acres, including valuable tracts in the Pacific Northwest, where it holds over two million acres.

From Barron's

Arizona Sonoran plans to start producing cathodes from richer ore beneath an adjacent tract and eventually reopen the old mine.

From The Wall Street Journal

The streamer’s L.A. offices sit on a relatively small tract overlooking the 101 Freeway.

From Los Angeles Times

They tend to multiply in the lower respiratory tract, and in their usual hosts, such as ducks and seagulls, they often infect the gut.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• estate
• expanse
• parcel
• plot
• portion
• section