tract

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈtrakt 

1

a

: a system of body parts or organs that act together to perform some function

the digestive tract

b

: a bundle of nerve fibers having a common origin, termination, and function

2

: an area either large or small: such as

a

: an indefinite stretch of land

b

: a defined area of land

3

: extent or lapse of time

tract

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a pamphlet or leaflet of political or religious propaganda

also : a piece of writing that is suggestive of such a tract

tract

3 of 3

noun (3)

variants often Tract

: verses of Scripture (as from the Psalms) used between the gradual and the Gospel at some masses (as during penitential seasons)

Synonyms of tract

Noun (1)

• region
• land
• neck
• part(s)

Examples of tract in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a vast and fertile tract of farmland

the town had planned on turning that tract of meadow into a park

had a number of small tracts for sale, but we couldn't afford to buy land and then build a house

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For years, residents living amid the tracts of suburban sprawl and bucolic farmland along Santa Clara County’s southern reaches often traveled upwards of an hour by car to seek cardiac care in San Jose. —Grace Hase, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026

Rarely, salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026

The new exhibition displays tracts and calendars from across cultures and ages. —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026

Importantly, that colorimetric test found its way into medicine decades later when others realized its utility as a diagnostic aid for urinary tract infection. —Neil Gaffin, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English tracte, from Latin tractus action of drawing, extension, from trahere to pull, draw

Noun (2)

Middle English, treatise, from Medieval Latin tractus, perhaps alteration of Latin tractatus tractate

Noun (3)

Middle English tracte, from Medieval Latin tractus, from Latin, action of drawing, extension; perhaps from its being sung without a break by one voice

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (2)

1760, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tract

• alimentary tract
• digestive tract
• gastrointestinal tract
• lower respiratory tract
• pyramidal tract
• respiratory tract
• tract house
• upper respiratory tract

Rhymes for tract

• act
• backed
• blacked
• bract
• cracked
• fact
• hacked
• jacked
• lacked
• packed
• pact
• racked

Kids Definition

tract

1 of 2 noun

ˈtrakt 

1

a

: an indefinite stretch of land

a large tract of forest

b

: a defined area of land

a garden tract

2

: a system of body parts or organs that act together to perform some function

the digestive tract

tract

2 of 2 noun

: a pamphlet of political or religious ideas and beliefs

Medical Definition

tract

noun

ˈtrakt 

1

: a system of body parts or organs that act together to perform some function see also digestive tract, gastrointestinal tract, lower respiratory tract, upper respiratory tract

2

: a bundle of nerve fibers having a common origin, termination, and function and especially one within the spinal cord or brain

called also fiber tract

see also corticospinal tract, olfactory tract, optic tract, spinothalamic tract