Standard Lemma guide

transit

noun · verb · 22 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /ˈtɹæn.zɪt/
  • UK, US: /ˈtɹæn.sɪt/
  • /ˈtɹæn.zət/ weak vowel merger
  • /ˈtɹæn.sət/ weak vowel merger
  • UK, archaic: /ˈtɹɑːn.zɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ænzɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: T R AE1 N Z IH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of passing over, across, or through something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The conveyance of people or goods from one place to another, especially on a public transportation system; the vehicles used for such conveyance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • the transit of goods through a country

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: transport

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any form of transport that can be used by a member of public (who usually pays a fare), as opposed to private ownership of e.g. cars; short form of public transit or mass transit

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, countable, uncountable

Examples

  • I always take transit to work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: public transport

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The passage of a celestial body or other object across the observer's meridian, or across the disk of a larger celestial body.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The passage of a celestial body in the horoscope, e.g. through a section or in relation to a specific important point in someone's birth chart.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: astrology, human-sciences, mysticism, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A surveying instrument rather like a theodolite that measures horizontal and vertical angles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

An imaginary line between two objects whose positions are known. When the navigator sees one object directly in front of the other, the navigator knows that his position is on the transit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: navigation

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A Ford Transit van, see Transit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland, UK, countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Beufort road, Birkenhead, about 17.15 June 19 2013, white transit overtakes and swerves left into junction almost taking my front wheel.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A Ford Transit van.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To pass over, across or through something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To convey people or goods from one place to another, especially by public transport vehicles.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To use public transit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: at least Vancouver

Examples

  • I always transit to work.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To revolve an instrument about its horizontal axis so as to reverse its direction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To make a transit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

To carry communications traffic to and from a customer or another network on a compensation basis as opposed to peerage in which the traffic to and from another network is carried on an equivalency basis or without charge.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

a journey usually by ship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the outward passage took 10 days

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: passage

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: journey, journeying

Narrower terms: lockage

17

noun

Meaning 17

a surveying instrument for measuring horizontal and vertical angles, consisting of a small telescope mounted on a tripod

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: theodolite

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: surveying instrument, surveyor's instrument

Narrower terms: tachymeter, tacheometer

18

noun

Meaning 18

a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: transportation system, transportation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: facility, installation

Narrower terms: air transportation system, highway system, public transit, short line, telpherage, telferage

19

verb

Meaning 19

cause or enable to pass through

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The canal will transit hundreds of ships every day

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bring, convey, take

20

verb

Meaning 20

revolve (the telescope of a surveying transit) about its horizontal transverse axis in order to reverse its direction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: roll, revolve

21

verb

Meaning 21

pass across (a sign or house of the zodiac) or pass across (the disk of a celestial body or the meridian of a place)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The comet will transit on September 11

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pass, go through, go across

22

verb

Meaning 22

make a passage or journey from one place to another

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The tourists moved through the town and bought up all the souvenirs;
  • Some travelers pass through the desert

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pass through, move through, pass across, pass over

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pass, go through, go across

Narrower terms: cut

History

Etymology

From French, from Latin transire (“to go across, pass in, pass through”), from trans (“over”) + ire (“to go”).

Across languages

Translations

128 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مُرُور (murūr) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Belarusian: транзі́т (tranzít) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Belarusian: перахо́д (pjeraxód) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Bulgarian: транзи́т (tranzít) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Bulgarian: пре́ход (préhod) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Catalan: trànsit — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 通過 /通过 (tōngguò) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Dutch: doortocht — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Finnish: kauttakulku — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Finnish: läpikulku — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • French: transit — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • German: Transit — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • German: Durchgang — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Hindi: आवागमन (āvāgman) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Hungarian: átmenet — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Hungarian: átkelés — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Hungarian: átjárás — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Hungarian: áthaladás — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Italian: transizione — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Italian: traversata — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Italian: attraversamento — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Japanese: 通過 (tsūka) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Korean: 통과 (tonggwa) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Latin: trānsitus — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Portuguese: trânsito — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Portuguese: passagem — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Russian: транзи́т (tranzít) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Russian: перехо́д (perexód) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Spanish: tránsito — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Turkish: geçiş — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Ukrainian: транзи́т (tranzýt) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Ukrainian: перехі́д (perexíd) — act of passing over, across, or through something
  • Belarusian: пераво́зка (pjeravózka) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Belarusian: транзі́т (tranzít) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Bulgarian: прево́зване (prevózvane) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Finnish: kuljetus — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • German: Durchreise — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hindi: आवागमन (āvāgman) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hindi: परिवहन (parivhan) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hungarian: átutazás — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hungarian: átszállás — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hungarian: tranzit — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hungarian: tranzitforgalom — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hungarian: közlekedés — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Hungarian: szállítás — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Italian: spostamento — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Italian: movimento — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Italian: passaggio — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Italian: transito — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Polish: tranzyt — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Portuguese: trânsito — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Portuguese: transporte — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Russian: перево́зка (perevózka) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Russian: транзи́т (tranzít) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Spanish: transporte — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Swedish: transport — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Turkish: transit — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Ukrainian: переве́зення (perevézennja) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Ukrainian: транзи́т (tranzýt) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Ukrainian: перево́зка (perevózka) — conveyance of people or goods from one place to another
  • Arabic: عُبُور (ʕubūr) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Belarusian: прахо́джанне (praxódžannje) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Belarusian: прахаджэ́нне (praxadžénnje) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Chinese Mandarin: 凌 (líng) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Czech: přechod — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Danish: passage — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Dutch: overgang — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Finnish: ylikulku — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • French: transit — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • German: Durchgang — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Greek: διάβαση (diávasi) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Hebrew: מַעֲבָר (ma'avár) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Hindi: संक्रमण (saṅkramaṇ) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Hungarian: átvonulás — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Hungarian: elhaladás — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Italian: transizione — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Italian: passaggio — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Japanese: 通過 (tsūka) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Korean: 통과 (tonggwa) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Macedonian: премин (premin) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Norwegian Bokmål: passasje — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Persian: گذر (gozar) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Polish: tranzyt — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Portuguese: trânsito — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Russian: прохожде́ние (proxoždénije) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Serbo-Croatian: пре́лаз — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Serbo-Croatian: прије́лаз — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Serbo-Croatian: prélaz — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Serbo-Croatian: prijélaz — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Slovak: prechod — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Spanish: pasaje — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Swedish: passage — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Turkish: transit — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Ukrainian: прохо́дження (proxódžennja) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Urdu: حرکات (harakāt) — astronomy: passage of a celestial body
  • Finnish: transiitti — astrology: passage of a celestial body
  • Finnish: kulmanmittauslaite — surveying instrument
  • German: Theodolit — surveying instrument
  • Italian: teodolite — surveying instrument
  • Italian: tacheometro — surveying instrument
  • Finnish: linja — navigation: imaginary line
  • Swedish: enslinje — navigation: imaginary line
  • Bulgarian: преминавам транзит (preminavam tranzit) — to pass over, across or through something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 通過 /通过 (tōngguò) — to pass over, across or through something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 穿過 /穿过 (chuānguò) — to pass over, across or through something
  • Chinese Mandarin: 越過 /越过 (yuèguò) — to pass over, across or through something
  • Finnish: kulkea jonkin kautta — to pass over, across or through something
  • Finnish: kuljettaa jotakin jonkin kautta — to pass over, across or through something
  • French: transiter — to pass over, across or through something
  • Hungarian: áthalad — to pass over, across or through something
  • Hungarian: átmegy — to pass over, across or through something
  • Hungarian: átkel — to pass over, across or through something
  • Hungarian: átutazik — to pass over, across or through something
  • Hungarian: keresztülmegy — to pass over, across or through something
  • Latin: trānseō — to pass over, across or through something
  • Portuguese: atravessar — to pass over, across or through something
  • Portuguese: transitar — to pass over, across or through something
  • Spanish: atravesar — to pass over, across or through something
  • Tagalog: dumaan — to pass over, across or through something
  • Tagalog: lumusot — to pass over, across or through something
  • Finnish: kääntää ympäri — to revolve an instrument about its horizontal axis so as to reverse its direction
  • Spanish: girar — to revolve an instrument about its horizontal axis so as to reverse its direction
  • Finnish: ylittää — astronomy: to make a transit
  • Hungarian: átvonul — astronomy: to make a transit
  • Hungarian: elhalad — astronomy: to make a transit
  • Persian: گذشتن (gozaštan) — astronomy: to make a transit
  • Portuguese: transitar — astronomy: to make a transit
  • Spanish: transitar — astronomy: to make a transit
Real reading context

transit in complete knowledge articles