tran·sit
ˈtran(t)-sət 
ˈtran-zət
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
transited; transiting; transits
: to make a transit
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
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
Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
These pilots are the only ones allowed to make the 50-mile transit, with the ship’s captain required to cede control for the complex journey through the isthmus passage.
—Silvana Paternostro Nathalia Angarita, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
On April 6, while transiting the bold and fiery sign of Aries, the sun will meet with Jupiter in Gemini in a lucky sextile, creating an exciting opportunity for growth, prosperity and bold new beginnings.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for transit
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Noun
In a letter filed to the docket in the MTA’s lawsuit to save the program, Roberta Kaplan, an attorney for the transit agency, said she’s been in discussions with lawyers for the federal government as both sides seek to schedule the case.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2025
These pilots are the only ones allowed to make the 50-mile transit, with the ship’s captain required to cede control for the complex journey through the isthmus passage.
—Silvana Paternostro Nathalia Angarita, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
The result: 70% of merchant shipping that once transited the Red Sea now takes the long route around southern Africa.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
On April 6, while transiting the bold and fiery sign of Aries, the sun will meet with Jupiter in Gemini in a lucky sextile, creating an exciting opportunity for growth, prosperity and bold new beginnings.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for transit
Cite this Entry
“Transit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transit. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
transit
1 of 2 noun
tran·sit
ˈtran(t)s-ət
ˈtranz-
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
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