trace

verb

traced; tracing

transitive verb

1

a

: delineate, sketch

b

: to form (letters, figures, etc.) carefully or painstakingly

c

: to copy (something, such as a drawing) by following the lines or letters as seen through a transparent superimposed sheet

d

: to impress or imprint (a design or pattern) with a tracer

e

: to record a tracing of in the form of a curved, wavy, or broken line

trace the heart action

f

: to adorn with linear ornamentation (such as tracery or chasing)

2

a

: to follow or study out in detail or step by step

trace the history of the war

b

: to discover by going backward over the evidence step by step

trace your ancestry

c

: to discover signs, evidence, or remains of

d

: to follow the footprints, track, or trail of

3

: to lay out the trace of (a military installation)

4

archaic : to travel over : traverse

intransitive verb

1

: to make one's way

especially : to follow a track or trail

2

: to be traceable historically

traceability

ˌtrā-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

Synonyms of trace

• define
• outline
• sketch

Examples of trace in a Sentence

The children traced their hands onto the sidewalk with chalk.

You can put a piece of paper over the pattern and trace it.

She traced the letters of her name.

We will need to trace the electrical wires through the walls.

The word “amiable” traces back to the Latin word for “friend.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Investigators traced Dennis’ operations to a house in the 4500 block of South Jebel Court in Centennial, the address of which was linked to his Venmo account, according to the affidavit. —Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 4 June 2026

Those themes reappear in Gone’s multi-channel video installation, which traces the history of the margarita far beyond the frozen cocktails served at chain restaurants and beach bars. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026

Obsession, a Toronto premiere that has since turned into one of the year’s unlikeliest box-office successes with rare, late-run weekend gains, traces how forbidden desire spirals into supernatural terror. —Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026

But Houston, Tran said, has professional epidemiologists who are monitoring and contract-tracing individuals anytime there is a vaccine-preventable disease that could become an outbreak. —Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French tracer, from Vulgar Latin *tractiare to drag, from Latin tractus, past participle of trahere to pull

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing trace

• (can) trace one's history (back) to
• contact trace
• leaf trace
• memory trace
• sink without a trace
• sink without trace
• trace element
• trace fossil
• without a trace

Rhymes for trace

• ace
• base
• brace
• case
• chace
• dace
• face
• grace
• lace
• mace
• pace
• place

Kids Definition

trace

1 of 3 noun

ˈtrās 

1

: road sense 2a

2

: a mark left by something that has passed or is past

3

: a very small amount

trace

2 of 3 verb

traced; tracing

1

a

: sketch entry 2 sense 1

b

: to form (as letters) carefully

c

: to copy (as a drawing or pattern) by following the lines or letters as seen through a transparent sheet placed over the thing copied

d

: to make a graphic record of by a recording instrument

trace the heart action

2

a

: to follow the footprints, track, or trail of

b

: to study, follow, or show the development and progress of in detail

traceable

ˈtrā-sə-bəl 

adjective

trace

3 of 3 noun

: either of two straps, chains, or lines of a harness for attaching a horse to something (as a wagon or plow) to be pulled

Etymology

Middle English trace "a course, a mark left by something that passes," from early French trace (same meaning), from tracer (verb) "to sketch, show by drawn lines," derived from Latin tractus, past participle of trahere "to pull, drag" — related to abstract, attract, trace entry 3, trait

Middle English trais (plural) "two straps used for connecting a horse to a vehicle to be pulled," from early French tres, plural of trait, literally "act of pulling," from Latin tractus, past participle of trahere "to pull, drag" — related to abstract, attract, trace entry 1, trait

Medical Definition

trace

noun

ˈtrās 

1

: the marking made by a recording instrument (as a kymograph)

2

: an amount of a chemical constituent not always quantitatively determinable because of minuteness

3

: engram

trace transitive verb

traceable

-ə-bəl 

adjective