tracing

American  

[trey-sing] / ˈtreɪ sɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that traces.

2. something that is produced by tracing.

3. a copy of a drawing, map, plan, etc., made by tracing on a transparent sheet placed over the original.

4. the record made by a self-registering instrument.

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tracing British  

/ ˈtreɪsɪŋ /

noun

1. a copy made by tracing

2. the act of making a trace

3. a record made by an instrument

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Etymology

Origin of tracing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at trace ¹, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Previous dye tracing experiments conducted by the park have shown that water can move surprisingly quickly through this underground system.

From Science Daily • Jun. 2, 2026

I pointed out that in the Connecticut case, investigators had been able to uncover the trafficking ring after tracing the gun to his shop.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

"This encouraging milestone bears witness to the effectiveness of field interventions: early detection, medical care, contact tracing and community engagement," DR Congo's Institute of Public Health wrote on social media.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

Attempts to tackle the spread are forced to rely mainly on precautions and rapid contact tracing.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

I squint out across the trees, tracing the way down the river.

From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness

Related Words

• architecture
• arrangement
• composition
• construction
• drawing
• form
• idea
• layout
• map
• method
• model
• pattern
• picture
• plan
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• study