transit

1 of 2

noun

tran·​sit ˈtran(t)-sət  ˈtran-zət 

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

c

: change, transition

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

Synonyms of transit

Verb

• cross
• traverse
• travel
• walk
• navigate
• follow

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

Noun

The MetroCard was phased into the transit system back in 1994, replacing tokens as the way people moved around the city. —Elijah Westbrook, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025

Bangura had allegedly threatened a security guard after being asked to leave church property near the transit center and a police officer responded and filed a report indicating that Bangura had threatened the security officer. —Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 16 Dec. 2025

Verb

These cultures also incorporate that colonialism, and incorporate traditions that were carried by people from other places that came with the colonists; further, all this is mixed with contemporary cultural complexities that each of those countries transits through during the twenty-first century. —Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025

While transiting this Fire sign, Mars craves adventure and is often driven by hope, as opposed to caution and strategy. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025

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

Phrases Containing transit

• in transit
• mass transit
• public transit
• rapid transit
• transit camp
• transit visa

Rhymes for transit

• paratransit

Kids Definition

transit

1 of 2 noun

tran·​sit ˈtran(t)s-ət  ˈtranz- 

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