tract

¹

[ trakt ]

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.

tract

²

[ trakt ]

noun

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

   Synonyms: disquisition, homily, essay

tract

¹

/ 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

tract

²

/ trækt /

noun

1. RC Church an anthem in some Masses

tract

³

/ trækt /

noun

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

tract

/ 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.

Word History and Origins

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 ¹def 4 is from Medieval Latin tractus, apparently identical with the above, though literal sense unexplained

Origin of tract²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tract¹

C15: from Latin tractus a stretching out, from trahere to drag

Origin of tract²

C14: from Medieval Latin tractus cantus extended song; see tract ¹

Origin of tract³

C15: from Latin tractātus tractate

Example Sentences

He has already seen a surge in patients complaining of respiratory tract illnesses - “particularly worrying because we have not yet seen our first cold wave of the winter season”.

From BBC

SIBO, also known as blind loop syndrome, commonly occurs “when a circumstance — such as surgery or disease — slows the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract.”

From Los Angeles Times

Hawkins noted that Crain had strep and a urinary tract infection, wrote up a prescription and discharged her.

From Salon

Finally, she called home from Hemet, a former farming town now sprouting strip malls and tract houses.

From Los Angeles Times

Beth said they first realised something was wrong with Riley at eight weeks old when he was admitted to hospital with a urinary tract infection and later bacterial meningitis.

From BBC

Related Words

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