transportation

American  

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

noun

1. the act of transporting.

2. the state of being transported. 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

• nontransportation noun
• pretransportation noun

Etymology

Origin of transportation

First recorded in 1530–40; transport + -ation

Example Sentences

If the war in Iran drags on, then the resulting effect on transportation costs could crimp consumer demand for discretionary goods like chocolate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Last month’s robust healthcare and education gains were offset, however, by the trade, transportation and utilities sector shedding about 58,000.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Hatzola is a large non-profit, Jewish-led organisation that provides a free emergency medical response and transportation, regardless of faith, to hospitals by volunteer medics.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

The extra cents you pay at the pump are used to fund roads and other transportation infrastructure, making them a perfect example of user-pays excise taxes.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

No one doubted that Parks was the perfect symbol for the movement to integrate public transportation in Montgomery.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• shipment
• shipping
• transit
• transport