transportation

American  

[trans-per-tay-shuhn] / ˌtræns pərˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

• transportations
  plural

1. the act of transporting.

2. the state of being transported.

3. the means of transport or conveyance.

4. the business of conveying people, goods, etc.

5. price of travel or transport by public conveyance; fare.

6. tickets or permits for transport or travel.

7. banishment, as of a criminal to a penal colony; deportation.

8. Also called Transportation Department. (initial capital letter) the Department of Transportation.

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transportation British  

/ ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. a means or system of transporting

2. the act of transporting or the state of being transported

3. (esp formerly) deportation to a penal colony

4. a ticket or fare

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nontransportation
  noun
• pretransportation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• transportations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of transportation

First recorded in 1530–40; transport + -ation

Explanation

If you spend $60 a month on subway fare, then your monthly transportation cost is $60, meaning it costs you $60 each month to get from one place to another. The noun transportation often is used to describe the process of moving things. You might make transportation arrangements, for example, for shipping a pet across the country. Transportation can also refer to a formal system for moving things from place to place, like a public transportation system like the subway or public bus or a transportation company that specializes in moving goods from coast to coast.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

transportation transportations

She recalled helping one pregnant patient with chronic health conditions who was in danger of missing an important appointment because she lacked reliable transportation and childcare.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Nvidia and other AI stocks are supporting the S&P 500, while strategists also see opportunities in energy, transportation and materials.

From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026

“For the U.A.E, a major transportation hub, managing the crisis from a PR angle is critical,” he said.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

It’s also close proximity to some of Boston’s most scenic walking and biking paths, and a water taxi providing transportation to Logan Airport and other local attractions.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

“I’ll stay with the transportation, kids,” SJ says apologetically.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

The government approved the measure after pressure from business and transportations groups and non-governmental organizations, which claim extortion has increased.

From Reuters ● Feb. 21, 2023

The group, which has not rolled out its proposal, is expected to focus on core infrastructure programs, such as transportations systems, at the expense of social spending.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 8, 2021

During their first meeting, the team called out the possible transportations options it might see: electric bikes, mo-peds and scooters, and then hoverboards, Segways and even unicycles.

From New York Times ● Aug. 2, 2018

“Right now this thing is so big, that sometimes it blocks the entire Mississippi River, and when that happens, my phone rings off the hook with transportations companies calling,” Cross said.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 21, 2015

In the course of these transportations the baby, who was the only peppery person in the ship, tried to smite these stalwart young German sailors on the face.

From Falk A Reminiscence by Joseph Conrad

Related Words

• shipment
• shipping
• transit
• transport