transportation

American  

[trans-per-tey-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

The quarter was marked by the U.S.-Iran war, disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and higher energy and transportation costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Rather than send wheat to Minneapolis to be processed, incurring high transportation costs, farmers and the state banded together to form the North Dakota Mill, the only state-owned mill in the United States.

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026

Participants who recycled, used reusable cups and containers, took public transportation, ate greener diets, or cycled to work were no less likely to support wider climate policies and collective action.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

As people live longer, social isolation can be a risk for older adults, who may face obstacles such as diminished mobility, limited access to transportation and often, the loss of a loved one or caregiver.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

“As a veterinarian, I have certain responsibilities with regard to the transportation of dead animals, sir. I can’t just knowingly ship a dead animal with an infectious disease across state lines.”

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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

It is small, but well filled, and undoubtedly contains some ancient and curious volumes: but several hiatuses gave indication that there had been a few transportations to Vienna or Munich.

From A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Three by Dibdin, Thomas Frognall

Related Words

• shipment
• shipping
• transit
• transport