Transit is the carrying of goods or people by vehicle from one place to another.
The two presidents discussed the transit of goods between their countries. [+ of]
...a transit time of about 42 minutes.
See in transit
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A transit area is an area where people wait or where goods are kept between different stages of a journey.
...refugees arriving at the two transit camps.
...a transit lounge at Moscow airport.
3. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]
A transit system is a system for moving people or goods from one place to another, for example using buses or trains.
[US]
The president wants to improve the nation's highways and mass transit systems.
...the New York City Transit Authority.
regional note: in BRIT, use transport system
More Synonyms of transit
transit in British English
(ˈtrænsɪt, ˈtrænz-)
noun
1.
a.
the passage or conveyance of goods or people
b.
(as modifier)
a transit visa
2.
a change or transition
3.
a route
4. astronomy
a.
the passage of a celestial body or satellite across the face of a relatively larger body as seen from the earth
b.
the apparent passage of a celestial body across the meridian, caused by the earth's diurnal rotation
5. astrology
the passage of a planet across some special point on the zodiac
6. in transit
verb
7.
to make a transit through or over (something)
8. astronomy
to make a transit across (a celestial body or the meridian)
9.
to cause (the telescope of a surveying instrument) to turn over or (of such a telescope) to be turned over in a vertical plane so that it points in the opposite direction
Derived forms
transitable (ˈtransitable)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from Latin transitus a going over, from transīre to pass over; see transient
transit in American English
(ˈtrænsɪt; ˈtrænzɪt)
noun
1.
a.
passage through or across
b.
a transition; change
2.
a.
a carrying or being carried through or across; conveyance
goods in transit
b.
a system of public transportation, esp. in a city
see also rapid transit
3.
a surveying instrument for measuring horizontal angles, a kind of theodolite
: in full transit theodolite
4. Astronomy
a.
the apparent passage of a celestial body across a given meridian or through the field of a telescope
b.
the apparent passage of a smaller celestial body across the disk of a larger one, as of Mercury across the sun
verb transitive
5.
to make a transit through or across
6.
to revolve (the telescope of a transit) so as to reverse its direction
verb intransitive
7.
to make a transit, or passage
Word origin
ME transite < L transitus, pp. of transire < trans-, trans- + ire, to go: see year
Examples of 'transit' in a sentence
transit
A devotee of the package holiday, he compared life with being in transit at an airport departure lounge.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Behind the wheel of a metro transit vehicle.
Christianity Today (2000)
Yesterday a transit van and a people carrier were parked outside the house.
The Sun (2009)
Everyone wants a transit country like us to take responsibility.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Then the limbo of two transit camps.
Davey, Ray Rev. & Cole, John A Channel of Peace (1993)
The issues range from security and mass transit systems to venue management and sporting legacy.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But some were prepared to divert a part of these hoarded monies to mass transit.
Goddard, Stephen B. Getting There: The Epic Struggle between Road and Rail in the American Century (1994)
Less time spent in transit means more time getting things done.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Britain is in many ways a transit country.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
So they now propose to turn them into transit camps for the poor.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
That transit lounge was absolutely buzzing - albeit with people trying to get somewhere else.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Housing is arranged in greenery and is at walking distance from efficient high-speed transit systems.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The airport warns that this will add 20 minutes to transit times.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It would enable A&E staff to look after the patients requiring their services rather than acting as a transit lounge.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Russia is viewed as the most assertive of the Arctic powers, not only on transit routes but also on seabed resources.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
transit
British English: transit /ˈtrænsɪt; ˈtrænz-/ NOUN
Transit is the carrying of goods or people by vehicle from one place to another.
During their talks, the two presidents discussed the transit of goods between the two countries.
American English: transit
Arabic: عُبُور
Brazilian Portuguese: trânsito
Chinese: 运输
Croatian: tranzit
Czech: přeprava
Danish: transport
Dutch: vervoer
European Spanish: tránsito
Finnish: kuljetus
French: transit
German: Transport
Greek: διακίνηση
Italian: transito
Japanese: 輸送
Korean: 운송
Norwegian: gjennomfart
Polish: tranzyt
European Portuguese: trânsito
Romanian: tranzit
Russian: перевозка
Latin American Spanish: tránsito
Swedish: genomresa
Thai: การขนส่ง
Turkish: transit
Ukrainian: перевезення
Vietnamese: việc vận chuyển
British English: transit ADJECTIVE
A transit area is an area where people wait or where goods are kept between different stages of a journey.
...refugees arriving at the two transit camps.
American English: transit
Brazilian Portuguese: de trânsito
Chinese: 中转的地方
European Spanish: de tránsito
French: de transitN
German: Transit-
Italian: di transito
Japanese: 通過場所
Korean: 중간 기착지의
European Portuguese: de trânsito
Latin American Spanish: de tránsito
All related terms of 'transit'
in transit
If people or things are in transit , they are travelling or being taken from one place to another.
Transit van
A Transit van is a type of van that is used for carrying goods.
mass transit
a system of buses , trains , etc running on fixed routes , on which the public may travel
rapid transit
A rapid transit system is a transport system in a city which allows people to travel quickly, using trains that run underground or above the streets .
transit camp
a camp in which refugees , soldiers , etc, live temporarily before moving to another destination
transit stop
a stop made by a vehicle such as an aircraft, train or bus on the way to its final destination
transit lounge
a waiting room at an international airport used mainly by passengers transferring from one flight to another without presenting themselves to customs or immigration officials
transit system
a system or network of public transport
transit instrument
an astronomical instrument, mounted on an E-W axis , in which the reticle of a telescope is always in the plane of the meridian . It is used to time the transit of a star , etc, across the meridian
transit theodolite
a theodolite the telescope of which can be rotated completely about its horizontal axis
goods in transit
articles that are in the process of being carried by vehicle from one place to another
rapid transit chess
rapid chess in which either each move has a fixed time allowed (usually 10 seconds) or both players are allotted a fixed time (often 5 minutes ) for all their moves
rapid transit system
a rail or other system providing rapid public transport
personal rapid transit
a short system of small, self-propelled , automated , rubber-tired vehicles that usually run on elevated concrete tracks and allow a passenger a limited selection of routes , as in an amusement park or at an airport
sic transit gloria mundi
thus passes the glory of the world
meridian circle
an instrument used in astronomy for determining the declination and right ascension of stars. It consists of a telescope attached to a graduated circle
RTN
An RTN is the code that identifies a financial institution on a check or transfer.
lightning chess
rapid chess in which either each move has a fixed time allowed (usually 10 seconds) or both players are allotted a fixed time (often 5 minutes ) for all their moves
Chinese translation of 'transit'
transit
(ˈtrænzɪt)
n
in transit (people) 在途中 (zài túzhōng) (things) 运(運)送中 (yùnsòng zhōng)
(u) (US) 运(運)输(輸) (yùnshū)
adj
[area, building]中转(轉)的 (zhōngzhuǎn de)
1 (noun)
Definition
the moving or carrying of goods or people from one place to another
They halted transit of EU livestock.
Synonyms
movement
the movement of people, goods and services across borders
transfer
the striker's transfer to a leading Italian club
transport
Safety rules had been breached during transport of radioactive fuel.
passage
the passage of troops through the country
travel
He collects things for the house on his travels.
crossing
motion
the laws governing light, sound and motion
transportation
carriage
It costs £10.86 for one litre, including carriage.
shipment
traverse
conveyance
the conveyance of bicycles on local trains
portage
2 (noun)
Synonyms
change
They are going to have to make some drastic changes.
shift
a shift in policy
transition
a period of transition
conversion
the conversion of disused rail lines into cycle routes
alteration
Making some simple alterations to your diet will make you feel fitter.
changeover
(verb)
They have been allowed back into Kuwait by transiting through Baghdad.
Synonyms
pass
I passed through the doorway to ward B.
travel
You can travel to Helsinki tomorrow.
cross
Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing.
journey
She has journeyed on horseback through Africa and Turkey.
traverse
I traversed the narrow pedestrian bridge.
move
phrase
See in transit
Additional synonyms
in the sense of alteration
Definition
a change or modification
Making some simple alterations to your diet will make you feel fitter.
Synonyms
change,
adjustment,
shift,
amendment,
conversion,
modification
in the sense of carriage
Definition
the charge made for conveying goods
It costs £10.86 for one litre, including carriage.
Synonyms
transportation,
transport,
delivery,
conveying,
freight,
conveyance,
carrying
in the sense of conversion
Definition
a change or adaptation
the conversion of disused rail lines into cycle routes
Synonyms
change,
transformation,
metamorphosis,
transfiguration,
transmutation,
transmogrification (humorous)
Synonyms of 'transit'
transit
Explore 'transit' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of conveyance
Definition
the act of conveying
the conveyance of bicycles on local trains
Synonyms
transportation,
movement,
transfer,
transport,
transmission,
carriage,
transference
in the sense of cross
Definition
to move or go across (something)
Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing.
Synonyms
go across,
pass over,
traverse,
cut across,
move across,
travel across
in the sense of journey
Definition
to make a journey
She has journeyed on horseback through Africa and Turkey.
Synonyms
travel,
go,
move,
walk,
fly,
range,
cross,
tour,
progress,
proceed,
fare,
wander,
trek,
voyage,
roam,
ramble,
traverse,
rove,
wend,
go walkabout (Australian),
peregrinate
in the sense of motion
Definition
the process of continual change in the position of an object
the laws governing light, sound and motion
Synonyms
movement,
action,
mobility,
passing,
travel,
progress,
flow,
passage,
locomotion,
motility,
kinesics
in the sense of passage
Definition
the act of passing from one place or condition to another
the passage of troops through the country
Synonyms
transit,
moving,
passing,
travelling,
crossing,
movement,
progress,
traversal
in the sense of shift
Definition
the act or an instance of shifting
a shift in policy
Synonyms
change,
switch,
shifting,
modification,
alteration,
displacement,
about-turn,
permutation,
fluctuation
in the sense of transfer
Definition
the moving of (money or property) from the control of one person or organization to that of another
the striker's transfer to a leading Italian club
Synonyms
move,
sale,
switch,
handover,
relocation,
movement
in the sense of transition
Definition
the process of changing from one state or stage to another
a period of transition
Synonyms
change,
passing,
development,
shift,
passage,
conversion,
evolution,
transit,
upheaval,
alteration,
progression,
flux,
metamorphosis,
changeover,
transmutation,
metastasis
in the sense of transport
Definition
a transporting or being transported
Safety rules had been breached during transport of radioactive fuel.
Synonyms
transference,
carrying,
shipping,
delivery,
distribution,
removal,
transportation,
carriage,
shipment,
freight,
haulage,
conveyance,
freightage
in the sense of travel
Definition
a tour or journey
He collects things for the house on his travels.
Synonyms
journey,
wandering,
expedition,
globetrotting,
walk,
tour,
touring,
movement,
trip,
passage,
voyage,
excursion,
ramble,
peregrination
Additional synonyms
in the sense of travel
Definition
to go or journey through or across (an area, region, etc.)