Transit

Definition

"Transit" refers to the act or process of passing through or across a place, the movement of people or goods from one place to another, or a system of public transportation.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Verb

IPA Pronunciation:

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈtrænsɪt/ or /ˈtrænzɪt/
• Respelling: TRANS-it or TRANZ-it (with "TRANS" or "TRANZ" as in "transport," and "it" as in "bit")

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈtrænzɪt/
• Respelling: TRANZ-it (with "TRANZ" as in "transmit," and "it" like in "bit")

In American English, "transit" can be pronounced with either a slight "s" sound (TRANS-it) or a "z" sound (TRANZ-it) in the first syllable. The primary stress is on the first syllable. In British English, it's more commonly pronounced with a "z" sound in the first syllable. The second syllable, "it," is consistent in both dialects, pronounced like the word "bit."

Etymology

Derived from the Latin "transitus," meaning "a going across or over," from "transire" - to go across, pass over. This word has been used in English since the late 15th century.

Derivatives

• Transitively (adverb)
• Transitive (adjective)
• Transitoriness (noun)
• Transitability (noun)
• Transitively (adverb)

Synonyms

• Transportation
• Passage
• Conveyance

Antonyms

• Stagnation
• Immobility
• Stationariness

Usage

• As a noun: "The city is developing its public transit system."
• As a verb: "The shipment is transiting through several countries."

Related Terms

• Commute: Travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis.
• Convey: Transport or carry to a place.
• Journey: An act of traveling from one place to another.

Detailed Definition

As a Noun:

• The action or process of moving someone or something from one place to another: "Goods in transit may be delayed at the border."
• A journey or passage from one place to another: "The transit from the airport to the hotel was smooth."
• The conveyance of passengers or goods on public transport: "Many people rely on urban transit for daily commuting."
• The passage of a celestial body across the face of a larger one, or across a specific point in the sky: "The transit of Venus is a rare astronomical event."
• In surveying, a transit is an instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical planes.

As a Verb:

• To pass across or through an area: "The caravan transited the desert safely."
• To cause to pass through a specific route or medium: "The company transits its products through a secure supply chain."
• In astronomy, to make a transit or pass across a celestial body: "The satellite will transit the moon at dawn."