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.

---

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

---

tract ¹ British  

/ trækt /

noun

1. RC Church an anthem in some Masses

---

tract ² 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

---

tract ³ British  

/ trækt /

noun

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

---

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.

---

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 tract²

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

Example Sentences

Importantly, the compound works only within the gastrointestinal tract, which may help avoid unwanted side effects elsewhere in the body.

From Science Daily

In the first room she wrote the flaming Christian tracts for which she was known all over Holland, and in the second received the well-to-do ladies who supported this work.

From Literature

At the old Spanish Plaza, a crowd—mostly older Mexican men from the neighboring district—had gathered on the paved walks and grassy sections of the circular tract.

From Literature

The drug is also approved for the treatment of biliary tract, lung, bladder and endometrial cancers.

From The Wall Street Journal

The researchers believe these two functions help shield the GI tract from infection.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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