transportation
Americannoun
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the act of transporting.
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the state of being transported.
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the means of transport or conveyance.
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the business of conveying people, goods, etc.
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price of travel or transport by public conveyance; fare.
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tickets or permits for transport or travel.
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banishment, as of a criminal to a penal colony; deportation.
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Also called Transportation Department. (initial capital letter) the Department of Transportation.
noun
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a means or system of transporting
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the act of transporting or the state of being transported
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(esp formerly) deportation to a penal colony
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a ticket or fare
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of transportation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing transportation
The United States
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Africa - Introductory
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Canada - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The chemicals, known as methylsiloxanes, are commonly used in cosmetics, industrial products, transportation, and household items.
From Science Daily • May 13, 2026
Prices also rose for machines, business equipment, transportation, chemicals and other goods and services.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Jones Act waivers trim pennies, though permanent repeal may cause more fundamental changes, such as reduced rail and truck transport of all goods, which could lower costs, emissions and infrastructure damage associated with cargo transportation.
From Salon • May 13, 2026
"We offer affordable transportation for everyone," she said.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
Great advancements in communication, transportation, and science were about to take place.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
