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
: a pamphlet or leaflet of political or religious propaganda
also
: a piece of writing that is suggestive of such a tract
often capitalized
: verses of Scripture (as from the Psalms) used between the gradual and the Gospel at some masses (as during penitential seasons)
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
Scott Schwebke, Oc Register, 12 July 2025
That could negate the need for costly and invasive methods of GI tract investigation – like endoscopy and computerized tomography (CT) – that can only be used in hospitals.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 12 July 2025
Elston Avenue, which forms the tract’s western edge, lost its CTA bus service in 1997.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Endoscopies are imaging procedures in which a camera on a flexible tube is placed into the upper GI tract.
—Marla Anderson, Verywell Health, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tract
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Noun
The hospital also had a failing score for urinary tract infections from catheters.
—Scott Schwebke, Oc Register, 12 July 2025
That could negate the need for costly and invasive methods of GI tract investigation – like endoscopy and computerized tomography (CT) – that can only be used in hospitals.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 12 July 2025
Elston Avenue, which forms the tract’s western edge, lost its CTA bus service in 1997.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Endoscopies are imaging procedures in which a camera on a flexible tube is placed into the upper GI tract.
—Marla Anderson, Verywell Health, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tract
Cite this Entry
“Tract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tract. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tract
1 of 2 noun1
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
noun1
: 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 tractLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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