transit

1 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
: conveyance of persons or things from one place to another
(2)
: usually local transportation especially of people by public conveyance
also : vehicles or a system engaged in such transportation
b
: an act, process, or instance of passing through or over
2
a
: passage of a celestial body over the meridian of a place or through the field of a telescope
b
: passage of a smaller body (such as Venus) across the disk of a larger (such as the sun)
3
: a theodolite with the telescope mounted so that it can be transited

transit

2 of 2

verb

transited; transiting; transits

intransitive verb

: to make a transit

transitive verb

1
a
: to pass over or through
b
: to cause to pass over or through
2
: to pass across (a meridian, a celestial body, or the field of view of a telescope)
3
: to turn (a telescope) over about the horizontal transverse axis in surveying

Examples of transit in a Sentence

Noun the problems of urban transit Verb once you transit that stretch of dense woods, the hiking should be much easier
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In Mississauga, developments around transit hubs, such as those supported by improvements like the Hurontario Light Rail Transit, are fostering mixed-use districts that blend multifamily units and retail spaces. John Krpan, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Lyles and other leaders from throughout the county also gathered the following morning for a special meeting of the Metropolitan Transit Commission about safety on transit. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
While America has not hesitated to use oceanographic ships to send messages by transiting the Taiwan Strait or probing interesting waters near rivals, China has been far more adept at employing research ships to challenge status quo. Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Commissioned in December 2023, the Krasnoyarsk transited across the Arctic in September, shifting from the Russian Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea to the Pacific Fleet. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for transit

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English transite, from Latin transitus, from transire to go across, pass

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of transit was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Transit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transit. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

transit

1 of 2 noun
1
: an act, process, or example of passing through or over : passage
2
: the transporting of persons or things from one place to another
goods lost in transit
3
: local transportation of people in public vehicles
also : the vehicles or system used in such transportation
4
: a surveyor's instrument for measuring angles

transit

2 of 2 verb
: to pass or cause to pass over, through, or across
Etymology

Noun

from Latin transitus "passage, journey," from transire "to go across, pass," from trans- "across, beyond" and ire "to go" — related to issue, itinerary

More from Merriam-Webster on transit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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