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Meaning & use

trace

noun, verb·Academic

Last updated

UK/treɪs/
US/treɪs/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable or uncountable

    A very small amount or visible sign left by something that has passed, happened, or existed.

    Grammar: Countable for individual signs: traces of mud. Often uncountable in scientific phrases such as trace amounts.

    Patterns

    • traces of something
    • without a trace
    • a trace of sadness

    Police found traces of paint on the door.

    The letter disappeared without a trace.

  2. nouncountablefigurative

    A slight quality or hint of an emotion, sound, color, or flavor.

    Grammar: Usually singular with of: a trace of anger. It suggests less than a clear amount.

    Patterns

    • a trace of something
    • with a trace of irony
    • a faint trace

    There was a trace of doubt in her voice.

    The sauce has a trace of smoke from the grill.

  3. verbtransitive

    To discover the origin, cause, development, or movement of something by following evidence.

    Grammar: Takes the thing being investigated as its object; often followed by back or to when giving a source.

    Patterns

    • trace something to its source
    • trace back to something
    • be traced to someone

    Investigators traced the leak to an old pipe.

    The custom can be traced back to the nineteenth century.

  4. verbtransitive

    To copy a drawing, map, or shape by following its lines on transparent or thin paper.

    Grammar: Takes an object such as a picture or outline; the copy follows visible lines rather than being drawn freely.

    Patterns

    • trace a drawing
    • trace over something
    • trace an outline

    The children traced the outline of a leaf.

    She traced the map onto thin paper for the poster.

Word forms

third person singulartraces
past tensetraced
past participletraced
-ing formtracing
pluraltraces

Common combinations

without a trace
The missing keys vanished without a trace.
trace amounts of
The lab detected trace amounts of iron in the water.
trace back to
Many English words trace back to Latin or French.
trace a call
Police were able to trace the call within minutes.

Synonyms and how they differ

track
Emphasizes following movement forward; trace often follows evidence backward to a source.
hint
For the noun, a hint is a subtle suggestion, while a trace is a remaining sign or tiny amount.
vestige
More formal and suggests something old almost disappeared; trace can be very small but still measurable.

Opposites

abundanceerase

Word family

traceable adjective
Able to be followed back to a source: traceable errors.
tracing noun
A copied outline made by drawing over lines.
trace element noun
A chemical element needed or present in very small amounts.

Commonly confused: trace or trail? trace or track?

trace vs trail

A trail is a path or series of marks left behind; trace is broader and can be a tiny chemical or emotional sign.

trace vs track

Track is a path or record of movement; trace focuses on evidence used to find origin or presence.

Practice

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