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

Thames Water is responsible for investigating leaks and tracing them through drainage networks.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

“Miles Davis: A Century of Cool” debuts at Musichead Gallery on Sunset Boulevard, tracing the legendary jazz musician’s evolution.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

Intense contact tracing appeared to have prevented further spread, he added.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

In “This Dark Night,” Ms. Lutz, a professor literature at Pennsylvania State University, deploys flash and elegance when tracing the wellsprings of her subject’s genius to their sources.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Carefully, he spread out the map between them in the dirt, tracing two connecting lines with his fingers.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

Related Words

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