a transit

Meanings

1. 1phrasecountabletechnical

   one single act of passing across or through something, especially a planet moving across the face of the sun.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a transit of Venus' or 'two transits of Mercury'.

   Patterns

   • a transit of something
   • observe a transit
   • during a transit

   Astronomers recorded a transit of Venus across the sun in 2012.

   A transit of Mercury happens only about thirteen times each century.

2. 2phrasecountable

   the carrying of people or goods from one place to another, seen as a single journey.

   Grammar: Rare as a countable phrase; the uncountable 'transit' is far more common in this meaning.

   Patterns

   • a transit of goods
   • a transit between places

   The company arranged a transit of the machines from the port to the new factory.

   Customs officers checked the goods during a transit that lasted three days.

Common combinations

in transit

The package was damaged in transit.

public transit

Many city workers rely on public transit.

transit system

The city is building a new transit system.

transit passenger

Transit passengers do not go through customs.

Synonyms and how they differ

passage

Passage stresses the process of moving through or across something, while a transit usually highlights the crossing of one body in front of another.

crossing

A crossing is the act of going across a surface or line; a transit is more technical and is used for planets or for moving goods.

Word family

transit noun

The uncountable noun meaning the movement of people or goods from place to place.

transition noun

A change from one state or condition to another, not a physical journey.

transitory adjective

Lasting only a short time; not connected with travel.

Commonly confused: a transit or transition?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a transit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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